


Inter Mundos

by Bridgy_Kathleen



Category: Treasure Planet (2002)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Alchemy, Between worlds, Cute, Disney, Earth, F/M, Fantasy, Fluff, Funny, Humor, Inspired by Treasure Planet (2002), Latin, Love, Philosopher's Stone, Pirates, Romance, Sad, Science, Slow Romance, Soulmates, Space Pirates, Sweet, Time Travel, Violence, inter mundos, space
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2019-05-18 21:06:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 40
Words: 125,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14860301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bridgy_Kathleen/pseuds/Bridgy_Kathleen
Summary: Enter a universe where the unthinkable happens. Forget all you thought you knew about space. Step into a world where almost every choice you make could be your last. Follow Briar Edwards and learn of her story. Take hold of the life line and watch as her whole world unravels. Watch her fall in love with Captain James Pleiades Hawkins(Takes place some time after the movie).





	1. Into The Storm

Prologue:  
Alchemy. It's something easier for me to understand rather than religion. There are so many rules when it comes to religion that it just makes my head spin or until I get annoyed with it. With alchemy, yes, there are rules too, but they are straight to the point, if you are clever enough for it that is. With taking up the art of alchemy, I have taken' a liking to Latin. Needless to say, I can hardly speak a word of it, but it does help when it comes to alchemy. Some say it is a crazy obsession, others think it is a childish phase. Immortality is no childish phase and nor is it an obsession...well, to others it might be, but I would never think to go that far. It is merely a hobby of mine. When I find the time, I study it. I will spend all weekend just reading and writing down notes. Alchemy makes the world more...interesting. Alchemy is science, it is magic and magic is something this world sorely lacks. You know what else it lacks: Adventure.

This is my story about going on an adventure and it is one I will never forget. How could I? I became part of a crew, sailing on a grand ship, I fought pirates, and I even fell in love. I'm no ordinary person and this is no ordinary story. If you are looking for ordinary then go someplace else. This is a story about going to different worlds. You can't imagine the creatures and other people I have encountered...ok, maybe you can, but I have to tell you in my own words and how it all started and how it all ended. I hope that at the end you won't be mad at me, or perhaps you would have made the same choice? Either way, I don't regret my choice. My name is Briar Edwards, and I am lucky to be alive.

* * *

Chapter One: The storm.  
It was half passed nine at night and I was about ready to get on my last flight home to America. I would land in the in Washington D.C. with my dad and then I would sleep in the back seat till I got home, missing Italy in my dreams. I had been studying abroad for a year there and now it was time to go home. My little adventure was ending, or so I thought. Time was just waiting for me, I guess, to take me on an even bigger adventure. But how it came about was frightening. I truly thought I was going to die. On the brink of death and not being the religious type I was back then.  
I was boarding my flight in London as the moon was just starting to shine brightly. It was beautiful, being above the clouds and listening to the plane purr softly. I could no longer see Big Ben and it made me a little sad, not knowing that that would be the last time I'd set my eyes on Europe ever again.  
There was a slight rumble as I sat in my seat, my eyes closed and trying to rest before a long ride home. Thunder was heard below me. Was there supposed to be a storm tonight? No way. They would have delayed my flight if that were the case. Maybe it's just a slight storm and it won't mess with the plane. Wishful thinking, I know. That was not the case, though. It all happened so quickly and I was saying "Oh God!" in my head faster than the constant thunder being heard. I heard the pilot's voice over the intercom, but I can't recall what he said. I was too worried and when the masks came down that was when I really started to panic. Sure, I was used to flying, I did it many times and I thought for sure that this would be my end: to go down into the ocean I sailed over so many times in my life.  
A huge crack was heard and it was so loud I thought I would go deaf from it. Instead, I saw the plane get torn in half and I wished then that I was blind. At least I would die not having to see the horror of those being whipped out and screaming. I realized then that I was crying and it wasn't just the rain getting inside the plane now. I was falling from the sky, my body strapped tight into my seat and my mask still on. As the plane turned to face the ocean I came face-to-face with my doom. But fate had other plans for me, other adventures. I shielded my eyes from bright light and held my breath.

My eyes flickered open, my head hurt and my body was sore and cold. I heard the soft sound of what seemed to be birds flying in the trees. I tried to open my eyes again and the first thing I saw was the ground at least fifteen feet down. This should not have bothered me, but seeing how I was only strapped into a seat that only partly connected to what was left of the plane, it really freaked me out. My mask was gone, no idea where it went to and no doubt all of my belongings were gone too. I was stuck in a white dress that went down to my knees and a light blue buttoned-up sweater, black leggings and black boots that went to my calf's. Don't ask why. I'm into a weird style and my style was finally paying itself off. Who wants to walk through the woods or an open field with sandals or slip on?  
The braid in my hair was coming out and my hair tickled my face, annoying me. I braced myself as I undid the latch for the belt and held on to the two sides of the buckle, calculating how I was going to land this fall. Not good...was my assumption. I landed with a soft thud and tumbled to my hands and knees. The ground was hard and the dirt smelled like moss. Funny, there were no ponds or rivers, not that I could hear any. In fact, I couldn't hear the insects and the sweet song of the birds were gone. Did I miss something? I don't think so. Where was I? Was I dead? Oh, God. There I go again. If I was dead, was I in purgatory, hell, or heaven? I don't remember anything after the bright light; not even the hard smack of the ocean on my face. I thought for sure I was dead and so then I pinched myself. I literally pinched myself. Ouch! Yeah, I wasn't dead. So then where the hell was I?  
I took the rest of the messy braid out of my hair and whipped my hair forward and then back, holding it back with my hands to put it in a tight bun. I looked around at my surroundings more closely. What a strange place, I thought. So, I did the first thing I could do: walking. I was stuck in an unknown place. I wasn't even sure I was in Europe or America. From the looks of it, it seemed to be some kind of Asian land. Maybe I was wrong? Totally wrong? I could hear bugs a couple of feet away from me, hiding in bushes. I didn't dare peek at them, afraid they were dangerous. Or maybe they were tiny, harmless bugs. I was too chicken to find out. Screw that! My stomach growled then and I was either hungry from walking so much or it was out of fear. Maybe it was both? Ugh! I was getting so tired of walking around. Sure, I'd like to hike once in a while, but this was getting annoying. From a distance, I could hear two voices, either they were bickering or...or something. Did I dare follow the voices and see who it was? I was pretty tired of being alone and not knowing where I was, so I took on the crazy idea and followed the voices. What would be even crazier is if the voices were only inside my head and the oxygen I took in from the trees and plants were feeding me some kind of poison and I was slowly going nuts. What a thought!

I slipped and fell on some mud, getting my knees and palms dirty. I cursed and picked myself back up. The weakness in my knees was finally starting to show. I felt wobbly and nervous. Scared even. I had no idea what was going to happen, how could I? During this time, of course, I had no idea I was in another world. I still thought I was on earth. Could I call it that anymore? Perhaps the people here called this place earth. I never asked.  
As I walked, the voices getting louder, I came to a halt. I wasn't going crazy. There really were people! I smiled a bit and clutched my sweater. Suddenly afraid and feeling very stupid having gone with this idea. I got down on my hands and knees and crept over to the two groups of people talking. I stayed very low and moved slowly. The trees and bushes kept me well hidden and thank God for no bugs!  
I watched them talk. Good, they spoke English. A tall husky man who had the face of a dog almost and a big nose talked the most. He was trying to make a deal with another man. He was tall and skinny and he had a big grey hat and a grey trench coat on. He had long fingers that seemed to have sharp tips like razors for fingernails. I liked the look of the dog face man better. He had more colors. The two groups didn't exactly look very nice, but I still liked the dog face man's side better. "Come now," he said. "It be easier on the twos' of us."  
The man in grey spat to the ground. "Pah! I'd rather sleep with the mermaids. Let them take me to my watery grave and sleep forever." his voice was scratchy and it made me cringe.  
The dog face man crossed his arms and sighed. I noticed his right leg and it caught me off guard. A robotic-like leg pushed out some smoky air and I watched in fascination. Then he repositioned his right arm to be on top and I saw that it was robotic too.  
I moved a little closer to get a better look, I was careful about moving any twigs that would get in my way. My breathing had slowed down so much I almost lost my breath. I had never tried to be this quiet. "There will be plenty there to go 'round." the dog face man said.  
The man in grey looked like he was getting fed up and took an angry step forward. "Plenty go 'round eh? Hah! I knows how ya think, Silver. Never 'nough to go 'round! I's never give it up!" with that he turned to walk away but then stopped. He looked my way and I put my face to the ground completely, afraid that he might have seen me as he turned. I didn't hear him say anything and I wasn't hearing his foot-steps get closer so I picked my head back up and he was still looking. I ducked again and that was when I heard a twig snap behind me. Oh shit! I thought. I looked back, still on the ground and saw a big muscled man. He was shirtless and his pants seemed too big and too short all at the same time. He held them up with a rope and at his sides were two thick daggers. He didn't look like a man, though. A big, ugly man who looked like he was carved out of wood and brought to life like Pinocchio. I couldn't bring myself to laugh at this though.

He picked me up and I hardly made a sound. I knew I was screwed and I kept quiet, letting him grab hold of my sweater from the back, twisting it into his fist. He pushed me through the trees and out into the open where the two groups stood. The grass went to my knees and the ground felt mushy. I stood a few feet away from this man named Silver and the man in grey. They both looked at me very surprised, as if they had no idea what to do with me or better yet, why a girl like me was out in a place like this in the first place. "A spy!" the tree man said, his voice thick, sounding Russian to me. Why did a tree man sound Russian? Was I in Russia then?  
The man in grey turned and pointed a nasty finger at Silver. "Is she your spy? I knew it! Kill them all!" with that last sentence my body went still and I closed my eyes. I heard the group roar in pleasure. They were itching for a fight.  
"Calm down ya maggots!" I heard the man named Silver yell and I opened my eyes again. His arms were raised, trying to calm everyone down. I had a feeling he was trying to get out of this situation from the beginning. He didn't want to fight with this man. He just wanted to take his men and leave, but that was proving to be difficult and with me in the picture, I wasn't sure if he had any new tricks up his sleeve. He looked at me with his one red eye and I think my eyes got wide after that. I never noticed it before. "A spy? Bah! I's aint never seen this girl before!" The man in grey growled. "I swears!" he looked back to the angry man.  
"That so? Then you's would have no problem killin' her then?"  
I looked back at the man named Silver and I gave him the 'please, no' look. He saw it too. "Why kill a helpless child? She be dead by next dawn for sure." I wasn't sure if I was happy to hear that, but at least I knew he didn't want to kill me. I felt the cold, hard hands of the tree man grab the back of my neck hard and I moaned in pain, leaning forward and trying to get away from his grasp.  
"I'll jus' have one of me own men do it then." said the man in grey. "Ya gone soft, Silver. Too soft."  
"Ah, jus' let 'er go won't cha, Stickler?" Stickler? So that's what his name is.  
Stickler pulled his hat up more and bared his teeth angrily. "SOFT!" he spat.  
"This is all just a misunderstandin'," said Silver. He readjusted his red bandana on his head.  
Before Stickler could say any more, something rumbled behind us in the trees, making the birds fly away...something big. The footsteps could be heard from at least a mile away. "It's come back!" cried Silver. "Round your things up, men! We gots to get outa here now!" The tree man let go of me then. I was no longer a problem it seemed like. I saw Stickler and his men head in one direction while Silver and his men went the other. "Don't just stand there, child!" Silver yelled at me, his red eye glowing brightly as he took my hand. We ran for it then. Ran for the trees on the other side. I kept up with Silver fairly well seeing how his right leg seemed to slow him down just a bit. Did it hurt him to run like this?  
I heard a loud echoing roar close behind me and I looked back. I saw large feet walking quickly, but they seemed to have headed in Stickler's direction. Were we safe then? The feet looked like rocks all stuck together. I had to turn away then but I turned too late and didn't notice the branch sticking out and I rammed my head right into it. I fell flat on my back and my ears started to ring. Damn it! I heard Silver tell me to get up and yanked me to my feet. It was hard for me to keep up with him now and it hurt to try and keep my eyes open.  
My lungs were hurting and my legs left like they would give way at any moment. Perhaps the boots were a bad choice? As my version became better and it didn't hurt so much to try and see I saw that we were headed toward a ship. A ship? On land? Ok, where was I? This can't be Russia! I was officially done with trying to figure out where I was. I was quickly hauled up into the ship by a floating circular solar device. I didn't question it or fight those who helped me to the ship, though, I felt like I was getting closer to my doom.

Silver's voice called out to his men, telling them to set sail. I thought to myself, How the hell are you going to set sail? You're on land, stupid! Within a minute or two I felt a rumble and then the ship actually floated off the land and I too started to float. "Flip the switch!" Silver yelled again. And just like that, I landed with a thump to the wooden surface and I sat there, trying to take it all in. We were floating off into the sky and soon the stars came into view. It was space but it wasn't space. I couldn't wrap my head around it. Suddenly all I thought I knew about science was a lie or maybe just a small part of the big truth. I was a science girl and all this was making no sense to me. I've never even heard of alchemy like this. Was this some kind of trick?  
Once we 'set sail' I picked myself up and took a good look around. I saw creatures all around me. They weren't men at all. Some stole glances at me while others rushed pass me trying to get things done. I felt a hand rest on my left shoulder and I turned around fast. It was Silver. "Easy now," he told me. "We's outa danger for the moment." he gave me a nod.  
"Where the HELL am I?" I said. "And who the hell are you people? Or WHAT are you?"  
Silver hung his head for a second and then looked at me again. He tried to smile but couldn't. "Follow me, lass." he didn't give me time to respond and pushed me forward a bit and then walked in front of me. I followed him into what looked like the cabin area. For a regular sized ship, it didn't look too bad. Silver closed the door behind me and I continued to stand as he took a seat. "I's suppose ya have a lot of questions." I nodded quite a few times. "Shoot," he said.  
"Where am I and who are you?"  
He nodded his head slowly. "You're on ship Helena. We jus' escaped from a planet called Jagerveen. My name is Silver and I wouldn't call me self a captain, but I do run this ship."  
I gave him a puzzled look and went along with it anyway.  
"Planet?" he nodded. I laughed then. "Is this some kind of sick joke?" I questioned. "Take me home. Now."  
"Whoa! Hold on there, lass."  
"Stop calling me that!"  
Silver gave me a stern look. "You listen to me, girly. On this ship, you show respect for higher up's. Last time I checked you's were on the bottom." I swallowed hard. "Now ya listen to me. I saved your life, show some respect or I's cast ya off this ship!"  
"I doubt you would do that," I told him. "You couldn't kill me back there and I doubt you could do it now."  
His robotic arm turned into a gun then and I took a step back as he pointed it at me. "Is that so?" he questioned. I nodded. He sighed then and his robotic hand went back to normal. He rubbed his head. "I's gettin' too old for this." he looked up at me. "What's your name?"  
Feeling a bit more comfortable I rested my hands behind my back. "Briar. Briar Edwards." I told him.  
He raised his brows. "Briar, eh? Pretty name. How did you's end up in Jagerveen?"  
I shrugged. "I was on my way home from Europe and there was this storm. I remember the plane splitting in two and then I ended up here."  
Silver looked at me like I was crazy. "Never heard of Europe before. That a faraway planet?"  
I laughed a little, getting annoyed. "Uh yeah? On earth. Heard of it?" I said a little rudely.  
Silver's eyes got wide. "Earth did ya say?" I nodded. "Ah! Count me stars I should! I be lookin' at a Goddess right now. You best not be lyin' to me."  
I gave him a weird look and bit my lower lip. "What are you talking about? Of course, I'm not lying! Where else would I have come from?"  
Silver looked at me as if he was about to break some bad news to me. He leaned forward on his knees and said, "Earth has been gone for thousands of years. Lost to us completely."  
My heart started to thump faster. "I'm afraid I don't understand," I told him honestly. What was going on? How long had I been sleeping? What happened during that storm? And what was anything anymore?


	2. Kitchen Kid

I was dreaming of flying in space. I was free and felt completely weightless. Giant whales swam right alongside me and sang a tune that sounded like humming drums while others sounded like high pitched whistles. Suddenly I felt a smack on the back of my head and the dream ended. I was laying perfectly comfortable on the soft cushioned couch with a heavy red and worn blanket over me, my slobber wetting the small pillow resting under my head. "Get up!" said the voice.  
"Just a few more minutes, dad..." I moaned.  
I heard a scoff and then a short laugh. "I's not your dad, lil bird. Get up before I pour the bucket on ya!" I heard Silver's scratchy voice and shot right up. I remember now; this was real, it really happened. I was stuck floating in space on a ship. Can you believe that? "C'mon, girly, get up!" he said one last time.  
I groaned and pushed the blanket off of me. "What time is it?" I asked, rubbing my tired face.  
Silver sat down on a wooden chair and re-adjusted his leg again with a sigh. "Passed noon."  
I rubbed my eyes and yawned. "I slept that long? Wow..."  
He finally stood up and looked down at me. "You's spent plenty o' time sittin' in here in the council room. It's time for ya to take a good look out on deck."  
I found it hard to swallow. "Me? Go out there? With everyone else? I don't think so." I sat back on the couch, which was a big mistake on my part. Silver took me by my sweater and pulled me along. I tried to fight him, but I didn't feel like ripping the only clothes I had on my back. He pushed open the door and pulled me out. The sun nearly blinded me and I covered my eyes as I heard Silver laughing at me. "Haha! The sun is mighty bright out t'day." he leaned in and whispered in my ear. "Don' worry, lil bird. These men won' hurt cha." and he walked off.  
"Uh...The name is Briar." I told him but he didn't seem to hear and just kept walking.

 _Men?_ I thought. _They're all aliens to me. Creatures. Animals._ But perhaps I was the alien here. It was a good thought. Did everyone in this universe look like animals? Was I the only human being? I saw tall lizard men, green and blue. I even saw a man that looked like a cat...a rough looking Tom cat. Another thing I noticed was that they all wore clothes and I almost laughed. Soon I adverted my attention to my other surroundings, like the sails and how shimmering they were. They looked like dragon scales. I got all excited after that; perhaps I would see some dragons? I walked to the edge of the ship and watched as dark thick mist traveled alongside the ship. I was completely flabbergasted by all this that I had to take a deep breath and slowly let it out. Right after that I heard some of them who looked like bugs, laughing. They were in a circular group, passing things around, making weird and sometimes very rude comments about woman. Curious, I approached them slowly, trying to see what all the fuss was about. I noticed a brown leather bag with one strap and on it was an embroidered blue flower. I gasped and broke my way into the circle and grabbed the bag. They weren't expecting me to come hustling in so it was easy to take my belongings back. The brown leather bag was mine and what they were passing around and laughing about was an extra pair of my panties, a tampon and some change from my coin bag.  
"The hell you doin'?" said the one who was once holding my bag.  
"All of this is mine. I thought I lost it when I crashed here." I said honestly. The beetle man snarled at me and tried to grab the bag from me but I was too fast. "I bet you don't even know half the stuff that's in here, do you?" I smirked a little, which caught their attention and stopped them from trying to take anymore of my things away.  
"Ok, smart girl. What's this stuff anyhow?" Before I was about to tell them anything I demanded all of my stuff back. "Not so fast," said another beetle. "We's wanna know first. A tale for an item."  
 _How unfair!_ I thought. _This was clearly all my stuff. What purpose would they have with woman's panties?_ Maybe I didn't want to know. I put the strap over my shoulder and held out my hand. "An item for a tale," I said.  
He shook his head and stretched my panties. "Maybe I's wear this as a new hat?" he laughed.  
I was embarrassed and finally gave in. If it would make them give back my personal belongings then I mind as well do it. "What you have...in your hands...is meant for ladies to wear on their bottom. Clearly you know this?"  
He stopped stretching the panties and looked at them a little more closely. "I aint never seen lady panties like this b'fore."  
"Yes," I said. "Where I come from there are many more like it and even better ones. Sometimes there are bulletin boards hanging up in malls, which is a huge building with many stores in it, with woman in nothing but their bra's and panties. This place is called Victoria's Secret." I held out my hand again. "Now give it back." I'm sure he had no idea what to say to me as he slowly handed my underwear back. He seemed too shocked. I think he thought I would tell him something different.  
"I sure like t' go t' this Victoria's Secret." A short blob looking man said. He giggled and I rolled my eyes.  
I then walked up to the next person who was holding my tampon and I pointed at it. "You don't even want to know what this is. It would even gross you fellas out."  
He raised a brow at me. "Think I'm more curious now. What's it do?"  
I almost laughed. _What's it do?_ I thought. I could tell him that it's for bloody noses but that is so "she's the man" and I needed to come up with something different. But why even try? I decided to tell them the truth. "When a girl is on her monthly," I started. "This is something they use to catch the blood." They gave me a confused look and I sighed, realizing I would have to explain myself better. "When a girl gets her monthly she bleeds down stairs," and I pointed in that general direction. "They use that to catch the blood so it doesn't leak." all the men got grossed out and the one holding it shoved it into my hands. I laughed this time. "And it's the honest truth too!"  
"Woman are weird creatures." he said.  
I nodded, feeling pretty satisfied with myself. "There is more where that came from." I opened my bag a little and they all took a step back. I then walked up to the man holding my coins. He placed them in my hand right away, afraid I guess, at what I might tell him. I looked down at my money. These coins were meaningless now and so I looked at how much I had. There were six men and I had two dollars and fifty cents in quarters. "Where I come from this is called money. It's meaningless here so you can each have one." I placed a quarter in each of their hands, they all seemed pretty pleased. Silver's voice was then heard, shouting across the ship. He told all his men to stop being lazy and get back to work. The small circle broke apart and I was the only one left standing there.  
Silver came up to me and cleared his throat. "I's got an idea for ya."  
I picked my head up a little. "Oh yeah? Like what?" I tried to have a better attitude. I felt a little better having my bag back with me.  
He then eyed my bag and asked. "What's that ya got there?"  
"This is mine. Your men found it. I lost it when I crashed. Never thought I'd see this thing again."  
Silver just nodded. "Ah. Well, follow me."

Silver led me to the bottom of the deck, the smell of food reaching my nose. _Oh no._ I knew where I was going and I didn't like it. "No one stays on this ship for free," Silver told me. "We all take part in somethin'." he pushed me along and I noticed someone already cooking. "Scrapper!" Silver yelled.  
A dwarf man with a peg leg was crouched and stood up fast, hitting his head on the counter. He cursed and turned around, rubbing his curly red head furiously. His right eye was sewn shut and scared up pretty bad. He wore clothes a little too big for him and there were high steps for everywhere for him to cook. I saw now why Silver wanted me down here. It must have been hard for Scrapper to cook all this food by himself and having to get on high steps all the time just to do it. "Whadya want?" he sounded Irish and the only human I had seen all day. I was glad. He then saw me and cleaned up his mouth a bit more. "I uh...what do you need?" he tried to sound a bit more chipper. I guess he had no idea about me.  
Silver stepped forward a bit and told him. "This here is Briar. She's your new kitchen pup." he pushed forward even more. I was getting tired of all this pushing.  
Scrapper eyed me up and down. "Ya ever cook before?" he asked, scratching his head.  
I shrugged. "A few times." there was a silence. I then cleared my throat. "I can make a pretty good salad." I said with some hope in my voice. Scrapper and Silver both laughed at me. "What is so funny?" I asked.  
Scrapper wiped a tear from his one good eye. "No one hear eats salad. Meat and soup and occasionally some fruit is our specialty." he told me. "C'mer." he said to me. This time I moved forward before Silver had the chance to push me again. Scrapper walked on to his high step and we both looked down at some boiling soup. It was brown with what was maybe vegetables? I couldn't tell. It smelt like bean and cheese soup. I knew I was totally wrong though.  
"What kind of soup is that?" I asked.  
Scrapper shrugged. "No idear. I just put it together. That's what ya do here."  
I nodded once and bit my lower lip. "Ah. Well...you see here...if you let it boil all the flavor will go away. When making soup..." I looked over to Silver, to let him know I was talking to him too but he was already heading up to the top deck. I went back to talking to Scrapper who surprisingly was paying close attention to what I had to say. I guess whatever made the food better it was worth listening to. "When making soup you only let it simmer. Never boil it. Trust me, it will taste way better. And the pan will be easier to clean."

So far I could tell that only Silver and Scrapper would be the easiest friends to make. I doubt I had made friends with the bug men who took my stuff. I did surprise them though, so maybe I did have a chance. I was the only girl on this ship with the only other human who was a dwarf. I spent the rest of my day down there in the kitchen. To Silver I had become a little kitchen pup and I wasn't sure if I wanted to stop doing kitchen work or not. For now, I was safe down here. I guess I should be thankful to be on this ship than with Stickler and his crew. I'd be screwed for sure. Figuratively and literally. I shuddered.  
"So where ya from?" Scrapper asked me as he turned the heat down on the soup, taking my advice.  
I leaned on the counter and crossed my arms, not sure what to do. "Uh...I'm a long way from home that's for sure."  
"So where from then?" he really wanted to know and I had no idea what other planets were out here and I wasn't sure if I should tell him that I was from earth. "It's fine," he suddenly told me. "Ya have yer secrets. So do I."  
I took a small breath of relief and walked over to the soup. I grabbed the messy wooden spoon that was being used to stir the soup and dipped it. "May I?" I asked.  
Scrapper nodded. "Sure."  
I blew on to the spoon and then dipped my tongue in it. It was surprisingly good, or perhaps I was too hungry and anything would taste good to me. "It needs some seasoning. Do you have some?"  
Scrapper nodded. "Sure! Lots, but they's be in the highest cupboard. Too high for me to reach."  
I felt bad for the dwarf man and reached up to the highest cupboard and grabbed all seven spices. I opened each one and sniffed them. Some were way too strong and I didn't dare put them in the soup. There was a familiar smelling one though. I smelt like Basil Leaf and I put in a dash of that and stirred the soup some more. I took some salt then and put in two dashes of that and stirred again. When satisfied I tried the soup again. "Ah. Much better. Here, try some." I handed the spoon to Scrapper and he slurped the rest of the soup from the spoon.  
"Mmm! Much better I say!"  
I smiled, feeling as though I could make this kitchen thing work. Scrapper then told me to open the oven and take out the roast he was cooking. When I did and I placed it on top of the make-shift stove top and the rather large roast looked more like a pathetic roasted chicken butt. I laughed a little. The meat looked dry and unappealing to me. "Did you just stick this in the oven?" I asked. Scrapper nodded. I shook my head and grinned. "A dry roast is not a good roast. Did you beat the meat a little to soften it up?" again he shook his head. I sighed. "Ah well. Maybe there is still hope for this chicken butt roast. Give me some water and leave the seasoning to me." Scrapper filled a tin cup of water for me and gladly left the rest to me. I poured all of the water in with the roast and put some honey leaves on top of it and then some salt. I placed the roast inside for just fifteen minutes more and then took it out. Sure enough the roast was a bit softer and it smelt way better with the seasoning on top. I was pleased with myself and the roast looked almost too pretty to eat.

Scrapper and I got all the plates and silverware together and placed them neatly on the tables. Scrapper told me it was pointless because they would grab their plates and bowls and head straight to the front and get their food. I didn't care though and I wanted it done this way. At least they wouldn't be crowding around the food trying to get their plates and spoons. They would get their food and get back to their seat without making a big crowded mess. When they headed down as it was already time for supper they quickly got their food and sat back down. They were all very hungry and tired from working on top deck all day. Scrapper and I were the last to get our food besides Silver who hadn't come down yet. We sat at the counter, away from the large group and ate our food in silence as we heard the rest of the men talking among themselves. The food I helped Scrapper prepare was fairly good; the rest of the crew thought so too as they finished their food rather quickly. When they were done eating I gulped as they all left their dishes on the tables. I sighed as I watched Scrapper go ahead of me and start picking up. "Welcome to the kitchen life!" he said and laughed. I went after him and started cleaning up the plates. Scrapper got the water running and started to wash them. I took a rag and started to dry them off, setting them aside before putting them away. It took us a good two hours to get all the dishes cleaned, put away and the counters cleaned off and making sure for a second time that the stove really was off.  
I sighed and threw my dirty rag in the sink. "What a day!" I said.  
Scrapper laughed. "Not used to working, eh?"  
I rolled my eyes. "Yes, if you must know. I'm used keeping my nose in books and studying with a pen in my hand."  
"You the teachin' type then?"  
"Learning type." I told him. "I don't have the patience to be a teacher."  
Scrapper yawned and cracked his knuckles. "I'm beat. Me thinks it's time for some shut eye. Turn the lights off when ya leave." he told me.  
I only stayed behind for a bit longer, gathering my thoughts before I went up on to the deck. I turned off the single light and put out the fire lamps that hung above the tables.

It was completely night out when I got up on deck. The only light came from the stars and I was still dazzled by the fact that I was sailing on a ship out in space. A part of me still thought I was dreaming, that maybe I was laying somewhere unconscious and I was still technically on earth. But for some reason my brain was coming up with this crazy and very real feeling dream. I felt the wooden railing, careful to not get a sliver in my hand. I grabbed it then and pounded my fist on it softly, just to make sure that what I was feeling was real. In my world, in my universe, this was not possible. It was totally unscientific and it made no sense, but it was what it was and I had no control over it. I could think for myself, I could do things for myself; so if this was a dream, why was I able to do all these things?  
"Whatcha doin', lil bird?" Silver came up behind me and stood right next to me, starting up a conversation.  
"Just thinking." I told him.  
He nodded. "Thinkin' is good. Whadya thinkin' about?"  
I sighed and slumped my shoulders as I rested my elbows on the wooden railing. "Is this for real? Am I really here?"  
Silver laughed. "Now ya makin' no sense!"  
I turned to him, a bit upset. "I'm being serious here! Completely serious. Where I come from, doing this is not humanly possible. It's just not."  
Silver gave me a concerned look and told me to follow him. "You's can stay in the council room. I doubt ya would feel comfortable with sleepin' with the fellas." he opened the door for me. I was never more happy to see this room than when I first came here. Finally, peace and quiet. Silver closed the door behind me and I took a seat on the couch, taking the tight bun out and letting my brown hair fall to my shoulders. "That was a mighty good meal tonight, Briar."  
I noticed him use my real name this time and I was glad. "You're welcome."  
"Since we have more time tonight, I's need to talk to you more about where ya came from."  
I groaned, taking my boots off and setting them off to the side. "What else is there to talk about? We're not even over there. We're here. You should be telling me about this place."  
Silver nodded to this. "Aye. Perhaps yer right, but you are the new comer here. Questions need to be answered."  
"Are you even a real captain?" I asked.  
Silver waved a hand in front of his face. "That is not what we's talkin' about, girly." I sighed and gave up, letting him ask away. "Earth..." he started. "Your planet..."  
"Yes...?" I placed my bag next to my boots then.  
"You remember what I told you before?"  
I nodded twice. "Yes. Earth has been lost to you and your people for thousands of years."  
"Hmm. Yes. Do ya know why?" I shook my head. "I've heard many stories, but the one that pops up the most is that the very fabric of reality was ripped apart from a terrible tyrant. He and a group of fellas studied a thing called alchemy. Can you's believe that?"  
He had my full attention when he mentioned alchemy. "So...these alchemist...they basically tore worlds apart, right?"  
"I suppose it might be true. I mean, here you come out of nowheres and tellin' me flat out where ya from. What am I supposed to think?"  
I pulled the red blanket over me and tried to get comfortable. "It's just a story, though, right?"  
"Aye." he nodded. "Jus' a story."  
Before he walked out of the room I called out to him. "Silver! Is there any chance that...that I will see other planets?"  
Silver smiled knowingly. "Aye, lil bird. Lots." he blew out the candle lamp by the door and walked out. I sat there, a single lamp still lit next to the couch I was on. I finally blew it out and laid down, looking out the window and to the stars that shone brightly. Everything seemed too calm.


	3. The Space Port

I grumbled as I scrubbed another pot for the one hundredth time and I still had another pot half way full of hot soup left to clean up. Scrapper had left me to do the cleaning myself and it was taking me all afternoon to do it. I swore I would get him back for it someday...somehow. It had been a full week now since I'd been here; Scrapper was taking more breaks than usual, leaving me to do the dirty work. I knew what he was doing and it didn't matter if I complained, Silver would hit me in the back of the head again and tell me to shut up. I mumbled to myself with something Silver would probably say and I grabbed the next pot. I started to pour it into a large bowl, saving it for later. I was about half done with pouring when a loud bang boomed and rattled the ship. I went deft and felt the ship rock to one side. I leaned forward and then slipped to the side, the hot soup pouring on to me, burning and ruining my clothes. I screamed but I could hardly hear myself from the next booming wave that went by, making me roll across the floor as the ship rocked to the other side. I hit my head on the corner of the counter and cursed as bad a sailor and as luck would have it, pots, bowls, and plates pans came falling down on me. Even the silverware seemed to be against me and fell as well, a long, sharp knife rocketing at my left hand. SLICE! The knife stuck fast through the top of my hand and I screamed. I held my breath and quickly pulled the knife out, screaming again and crying a bit. There was now a ringing sound in my ears and my nose started to bleed. I tried to pick myself up but fell to my side and darkness overcame me.

"Briar..." Yeah? "Wake up, darling. There is still so many things for you to do." What? Mom, is that you? "Get up." I awoke to the ringing in my ear still. My head was banging with pain and my hand felt completely numb, but only if I didn't bump it; that was proving difficult to do. I felt someone pick me up from the back of my sweater and put me back on my feet. I could still feel the ship rocking back and forth and I forced my eyes open and saw a blurry Silver. He was shouting at me but I couldn't hear anything coming from his mouth and he eventually gave up and pulled me along with him. I stumbled up the stairs once or twice but somehow managed to make my way to the top deck. What I saw took my breath away. A bright light...no...a fight was taking place with two other ships and we happened pass it. It was my best guess at least. We were sailing away from the fight but some of the firing had reached us, making this all happen. Silver put a rope around my waist and tightened it. From the looks of it I was hooked up to a life line and so was the rest of the crew. I stayed next to the life lines, holding on to my rope and watched as others ran around like crazy trying to flee from the scene. Once I stopped being deft I wish I hadn't and realized just how loud everything was now. The crew cursed as they worked together. I had never seen so much team work, even from a boys catholic basket-ball team playing finals. I remembered going to a game suddenly and thought how stupid of me to be thinking of that now. I was in a life or death situation and I was thinking about sweaty boys playing basket-ball. I felt my stomach roll and I barfed on my boots. I was a complete mess now and the slice in my hand was starting to throb. The numbness was finally fading away and I could feel every inch of pain shoot up my arm; my head was another problem.  
"It's Stickler's ship! I see it!" yelled one of the lizard men. Stickler's ship was black with red sails and an icy blue flag with a gun and sword on it. I spat trying to get rid of the taste of barf out of my mouth.  
"Keep moving forward!" yelled Silver. He was trying his best to get away. Stickler was obviously after us. "Light 'em up!" he yelled again. I felt a rumbled deep inside the ship and that was when I heard Silver cry, "Hold on to somethin'!" BAM! We shot off like lighting and I fell flat on my back, knocking the air out me. I coughed and felt my bloody nose drying up.

The next day I sat in the council room at a small table letting Silver take a good look at my hand. I winced in pain as he took a wash cloth and started to clean my wound. The blood was dry and it took some effort to clean it properly. Silver took some torn up cloth and placed it around my hand and tide it into a knot. "That will leave a scar won't it?"  
Silver nodded. "Be glad yer alive." he told me. "The kitchen is not the best place to be when somethin' like this happens. Where was ol' Scrapper?"  
I shrugged, feeling very tired. "He wasn't there."  
Silver seemed a bit surprised. "Wasn't there ya say? Did he mention where he be off to?"  
I shook my head. "I figured you knew."  
"There," Silver said as he finished fixing my hand.  
"You sure you this won't get infected?" He scrunched his nose and nodded. "Thank you." I told him.  
Silver sighed and stood up. "Me thinks it be best to get ya up and out of the kitchen for a while."  
A smile came to my face. "Really?"  
He nodded. "Ya needs to learn a few things about this ship and how she works. Plus, ya gotta learn to stand up for ya self. From now on I'll be makin' a man outa you, lil bird."  
I laughed a little and looked down at my clothes. "You going to dress me like one? I'm clearly a mess."  
Silver grinned and rubbed his chin. "I has jus' the thing. You stay here."

Silver returned with fresh clothes in his hands. He placed them on the table in front of me and told me try them on. There was a changing wall just off to the side and I walked over to it, stripping my clothes and Silver turned his back even though I was behind something. I tossed my dirty clothes in to a small laundry basket and looked at the clothes Silver had prepared me. A pair black pants, a white long sleeved shirt that had to be tide at the very top otherwise my cleavage would show and a light blue leather vest that cut off a little passed my breasts. That had to be tide too. It kept my breasts pressed down firm but not enough to suffocate me. I redid my hair into another tight bun and put my boots back on. These were much more comfortable and easier to move around in. I stepped out from the changing wall and Silver turned. "There ya are!" he said. "Ya lookin' more like the crew." I was surprisingly happy to hear these words and smiled. Silver was quickly growing on me like a parent. "You remind me of someone." he suddenly said.  
"Oh really? Who?"  
Silver rubbed his chin again. "His name is Jim Hawkins. He's a captain of his own ship now. I knew him when he was just a lass."  
"How old was he when you met him?"  
"Only fifteen I's believe. He was on the RLS Legacy, readying to take on one hell of an adventure!"  
I was very intrigued with this story and sat down to listen. "Tell me more."  
Silver hesitated at first. "We's was off to find treasure planet."  
"What's treasure planet...er, besides there being treasure?"  
Silver sighed and took off his hat for a second to rub his head and then placed his hat back on all nice and snug. "Treasure planet is no more. It blew up. They say the loot of a thousand worlds was there and all of it is gone now. I managed to save some, but I uh..."  
"Did you lose it?" he shook his head. "Then what happened."  
"I gave that treasure to Jimbo." Jimbo? I figured it out within a second that it was obviously Jim he was talking about. I smiled at the nick name. "I suppose he and his ol' mum rebuilt their inn and are living comfortably."  
"That's awesome! What happened after that?"  
Silver shook his head and stood up. "I don't know. I haven't seen him since treasure planet."  
"I'm sure he would love to see you again." I told him. But before Silver had the chance to respond a voice shouted, "A planet-a comin' up-a! Laaaaand hoooooo!" Silver left the room and I soon followed. I ran to the side of the ship and gazed upon my first planet. "Spaaaace Poooort!" A little frog man yelled. Space Port? It looked friendly enough with its bright lights and tall buildings.  
"Have you ever seen anythin' like it?" I looked to my right and then down and saw Scrapper. He could just barely see over the railing. I suddenly got pissed off at him and walked away. This was first time he showed his face after the hit and run with Stickler and the other ship. I didn't feel like looking at him right now.

When we landed at the Space Port I was suddenly very excited to get off and poke around. From what I could see there were even more creatures walking and only one other male human standing guard at one of the ships. He was bald and shirtless and looked like the tight not to mess with. I looked about the Space Port more as others started to get off. There was one ship particular. It was a beautiful creamy brown ship with gold colored railings it looked like and the biggest ship around. It's flag was blue with white stripes; nothing too fancy, but still nice. "You's be stayin' here, lil pup." Silver placed a hand on me, making me stop from going anywhere.  
"Oh come on! This is the first place I've been to and you won't let me off? I need a chance to stretch my legs." I begged.  
He shook his head and would hear none of it. "We's only be stayin' here a few hours." he looked pass me and I looked back. He was eyeing the creamy brown ship. I looked back at him when he started to talk again.  
"How's 'bout I bring you back somethin'?"  
I sighed and slumped my shoulders. "Oh alright."  
"That's a good lass," he told me. "Besides, someone needs to watch the ship. I'm leavin' ya to it." I watched Silver leave and I was left by myself on the ship. I couldn't help but keep looking at that ship. Silver was eyeing it and that just made it even more suspicious. I doubt he would tell me whose ship it was if I asked him. It's pretty little flag blew lightly in the wind and I thought about how awesome it would be just to walk on deck. The sails were up but I could tell that they looked very similar to the ones on this ship. Suddenly the members of that ship started getting on and a young looking man started shouting orders. I couldn't hear anything he was saying I knew he was giving his crew orders and the sails quickly came down. The captain of the ship was human too and that definitely caught my attention. I tried to get a better look at his face but he was too far away and he was more of blur the harder I tried to look. He turned his head then I felt like he caught me looking at him and I awkwardly looked in a different direction and then my fingers, seeing how much dirt had accumulated under them. How embarrassing.

After two hours of minding the ship the crew finally came back. They carried with them bags of food, maybe even some weapons. Silver was the last to board the ship and with him carried a bow with some arrows in a leather bound bag. "This here's for you." he told me, handing me my new gift."  
I was very surprised and pleased when he handed me this. When he told me he'd be back with a gift I didn't think it would be this. "Thank you!" I said, admiring my new gift.  
"It's not a toy," he told me. "I don't trust you with a gun or sword, so I got you this." Gee, thanks. I thought. He trusted me with a bow, but not a gun or sword. I guess I wouldn't trust me either. " Kristoff will show you how to use it. I's afraid that I don't specialize in this sort of weapon." The ship that I was once admiring finally took off and Silver and I stopped to look at it. He finally stopped after a few seconds and called out to his crew to get the ship ready to sail off. Silver left my side to get things ready and as he did so the Tom cat man came walking up to me. I never noticed it before, but his fur looked really nice and I wanted to pet him but I stopped myself.  
"I am Kristoff. I will teach you how to use a bow and arrow properly." He had a soft English accent. It was far better thought than how most of the men on this ship spoke. I liked it.  
"Teach away." I told him. "I'll to my best to be a good listener."

Once we set sail and were off Kristoff set up a target for me to practice on. I stood from one end of the deck and aimed to where the life lines were usually tide to. Kristoff stood behind me, having to bend down a bit for he was at least a foot taller than me. He helped me level the bow just right and told me to keep my elbow up and not get lazy. It would get some getting used to it and in the end build up my muscles and make me a better fighter. "Look at your target, try not to focus so much and just release."  
"Why? I thought focusing on your target was a good thing."  
"Yes and no. When aiming you just look...you just see and then you release. Try." I did as he instructed and I unassumingly missed for my first time, almost hitting one of the lizard men. He yelled at him me in his own language and then hissed at me with his long tongue.  
"Heh Sorry!" I told him and watched him walk away and clear out of sight from my target.  
"Learn to breath," he told me. "I can see you tensing up right before you release. That is no good." I tried again, pulling my elbow up level with my shoulder and looked at where I wanted to hit, never really focusing on a target and just released. I hit the rim of the target. I rested my bow to my side and looked at Kristoff with a stupid grin on my face. "That's better...but not good enough." he told me. I sighed and raised my bow again for the third time and kept practicing. The bow got heavier every time I pulled it up. After the tenth time, Kristoff told me to go get my arrows and try again. My arms were getting sore and once in a while Kristoff would be there to reposition me and then tell me to go again. I did this for a good hour and a half by the time Silver called down to me and told me that was enough practicing for one day. I was just starting out so going for a long period of time would be a bad idea. I figured Kristoff would gradually stretch the time whenever I practiced.

When night came and I had my fill of bean soup and bread I headed to my room. When I went inside, closing the door behind me I saw Silver sitting on the couch. My bag sitting next to him and he was holding a book. "Silver?"  
He looked up at me then back down at the book. "I couldn't help but look."  
I realized he had gone through my stuff and I got irritated. "Why did you go through my things?"  
Silver stood up, still holding the book. "It can't be jus' a coincidence that you showed up." He held the book up for me to see. It was my alchemy book. It was the first alchemy book I ever bought and it was just a simple intro to alchemy with some Latin inside that I could hardly read. "I's believe ya came here for a reason." he flipped through the book and stopped at one of the pages I had marked. "I've seen writing like this before in my younger days when I's was obsessed with finding treasure more so than I am now. They's was written in a long forgotten temple that was built inside of a cave. The crew I's was part of went there in search for gold but what we found were more questions and a link to a lost world." he shook his head and laughed a bit. "You'd think...growin' up as a kid that all those old stories would soon leave ya, but they don't. They stays right with ya." he lightly tapped the book on his head.  
"Where are you getting at, Silver?"  
"Don't worry...that dream is long gone." he told me, handing my book back to me. "Real glad you's showed up. Gives me hope and peace in mind that I'm not so crazy after all. Don't let anyone else see this. Keep it well hidden. If anyone else were to see this, questions would rise and you'd be in trouble then." I nodded, understanding. "I can't always save your bottom, lil bird." Silver let me be in my room and I locked the door on his way out. I sighed, resting my back on the door. Things were just starting for me here and I knew deep in my gut that I still had so many things yet to overcome.


	4. Spread Your Wings

There was yelling and lots of it. I was woken up from it in the middle of the night and tried to shut it out by putting the pillow over my head, but the muffled voices were only annoying me. That's when I finally got up and crept slowly to the door. I rested my ear to the door to hear what was going on. It was Silver and Scrapper talking on deck. "Why did you leave her?" Silver said, obviously pissed off.  
Scrapper scoffed and probably rolled his eyes from the sound of it. "She lived, didn't she? What's the big deal?"  
I heard Silver pound his fist on the ship. "That girl is worth more than you, Scrapper! I's the one who took her in, and I's be the one who says what happens to her and I say you keep an eye on her when in the kitchen!"  
"What?" started Scrapper. "Ya don' trust her? Or is it me ya don' trust?"  
"I'm warnin' ya, Scrapper. Keep ya red curly locks under control and stay where ya meant t' be." I heard Scrapper and his one peg leg walk away from Silver in a hurry and down with the rest of the crew to sleep. I felt compelled to go to Silver and tell him that it was alright. Scrapper had things to do on the ship, too, I understood that, but I stayed in my room and walked back to the couch and went back to bed. There was so much on my mind that it was hard to go get back to sleep. I thought about my dad and how he was doing. Was he crying right now? Did he think I was dead? And would I ever be able to go back home? I should be grateful though, and I was, I really was. I was experiencing things that were beyond the human ability…at least from where I was from. And just how long would I be here? How long before Silver would get tired of me and throw me off the ship and leave me to fend for myself? Would he do that to me? These men were pirates after all. And weren't pirates mean and nasty? Maybe these pirates were the good kind? I had been here a month and always kept my guard up, even if I was in the kitchen half the time. That was my job and I was glad to take part in helping out the crew. I closed my eyes real hard and counted my lucky stars…or what was left of them.

"Rise and shine!" Silver's voiced boomed in my ear, making me yelp and sit up fast. Silver stood hovering over me and laughing. He bent his head back and slapped his knee.  
"That wasn't funny!" I told him and threw the blanket off of me.  
"Sure it was." he said. He quickly contained himself and said to me, "I have an idea."  
"Uh oh…" Did I say that out loud? Silver led me to the very bottom of the ship where they kept extra boats and supplies. I had never been down here so it was a treat to see something new, something I could possibly get my hands on. I grinned.  
"Help me out with this." Silver said, trying to haul down a boat with golden sails tide up. I helped him lower the boat and open the bottom door of the ship. I knew exactly what he had in mind and I loved it. I felt myself becoming a part of the crew more each day. "I highly doubt you have flown one of these before. It's high time you learn." We both got inside the boat; him on one side and me on the other. He told me which lever to pull to go and how to make the ship slow down and turn. It was like driving one of those small motor boats only this was so much cooler. As we lowered from the ship and were out far enough I pulled the first lever and off we went. I stopped for a second, the sudden rush making me laugh with excitement. I looked to Silver who just about had a heart attack but was smiling all the same. "Keep going!" he urged. Boy, did he pick the wrong person to tell to keep going. I pulled on the lever again and this time I moved from side to side, getting used to the feel of the boat. It wasn't as grand as the ship, certainly not, but it gave me a lot more freedom.

The fast ride didn't last for long, though. Further out was another ship. Silver told me stop and he used his red eye as a telescope. "What do you see, Silver?" I asked.  
He looked at it a bit long then his red eye went back to normal. "An abandoned ship?"  
An abandoned ship? I thought. "Cool! Let's go check it out!" I put my hand on the lever, ready to go but Silver stopped me.  
"Stop!"  
I looked to him in question. "What? What's wrong?"  
"We have no idea whose ship that is. Ya jus' can't go explorin' it."   
I took my hand off the lever and sat back. "But I'm here, so you're not alone. Let's go." I sat right back up and grinned, putting my hand on the lever and easing my way over to the abandoned ship. The ship had giant holes, resulting in there being an all-out fight. The ship constantly creaked and Silver and I tide the boat to the ship and let ourselves in through one of the holes. The gravity pull was still intact so it was easy enough to walk around and not have to worry about floating off. Everything was a mess too. Nothing seemed to be of importance and we moved along rather quickly.   
"If you see any weapons, grab them." Silver told me. I nodded to this and kept walking. From the looks of the ship, it seemed to be one that carried prisoners. Perhaps that's why they were attacked. A get-away ship must have come for them. I looked in all the cells. All of them held nothing but broken bars and pieces of wood. I did, however, notice a marking…an initial B.B. I heard Silver call for me then and I went to find him. He was up on deck which had a few dead bodies lying around. I held my hand to my nose, trying not to smell. "It was a mistake to come here." said Silver.  
"There are no weapons either." I told him. "Who would do this?" I asked.  
Silver turned back round, heading back to our boat. "Some maniac. Let's go." I went right along with him and we left the ship without saying a word. "Promise me that you won't speak to anyone of this." Silver told me, his voice firm.  
I nodded, softly gliding us back to our ship. "Of course," I had more questions for Silver but I kept my mouth shut the rest of the way back. I wanted to ask him if we were entitled to the same fate possibly, or if he had seen anything like this before or who he thought might have done this. I didn't though. It would have only upset and made him worry more.

Once we returned to the ship and loaded the boat up again we didn't say one word to each other as we headed up on deck. The crew was busy as usual and others not so much as they sat in their circle playing cards. "Do you want me down in the kitchen?" I asked Silver before he disappeared into the captain's room.  
He hardly looked back at me and said. "Do what ya want, lil bird." I sighed and walked over to the ones playing cards. They were betting silver coins, some jewelry and even a nice juicy looking apple.  
One of the lizard men that I gave a quarter to looked up at me and told me to either sit down or walk away. I decided to sit down and watch. The idea of the game was to take everyone's cards by beating the deck with the highest number. The cards were divided up evenly so everyone had a fair chance at winning. If it was a tie those players would have to have a single battle and the other players would retrieve the card they had set down. Depending on how well the cards were shuffled also depended on how well the game would go. After a while I joined in and nobody had to explain the rules to me because I had watched before and this moved the game along more smoothly. I enjoyed playing with them and I even bet one of my quarters. The number one rule in order to play the game was to bet something and as beginners luck would have it I won the entire deck within ten minutes and it kept my mind off the abandoned ship too.

My spare time was short-lived, though, and everyone, myself included, looked out to space as one of the watchers called out, "We've got company!" cried the little imp man named Fidget. I stood up fast and slapped my palms on the wooden rails and looked far out. My eyes grew wide with fear and worry, but the feeling in my stomach was far worse. What I saw was no friendly greeting of another ship passing by that I saw once before, but a black ship with red sails. It chilled me to the bone. "Get yer weapons and ready the canons!" Yelled another crew member.  
"The blazes is going on here?" Silver came out of his room, eyes wide, realizing what was happening. He quickly scanned the deck and his eyes met mine. "What are ya doin' jus' standin' around for? Get your things together! We'se puttin' up a damn fight!" His robotic arm turned into a gun and his red eye glowed. I wiped around and ran into the cabin area and quickly snatched up my arrows. I still hadn't had much experience, but I had to protect myself one way or another. I couldn't be dependent on the others. I headed back outside, it was as if things got ultimately worse in the last twenty seconds. The ship with the red sails was closer and we were just starting to pick up our speed. That's what they first fired at us. They missed, but not by much and the blast shook our boat, rumbling as it did so. I raised my arrow as they got closer, my heart beating faster with every inch they moved toward us. They were so close I could almost count how many were on the ship. The sight of them mad me grit my teeth; mean, nasty, and probably smelly. "Steady!" I heard Silver yell from across the ship. I looked about the deck one last time and saw all my friends, my crew. I was scared for their lives and I looked back to the enemy that was gaining on us with a fiercer look in my eyes this time.

I counted down to ten as they came into full view; I didn't even get down to zero when their ropes and hooks latched on to our ship. One hook nearly took off my ear and I yelped, stepping back. It was then when they came on to the ship. Everything was happening so fast that my head almost spun out. I fired my bow by mere shock of a dark blue lizard running at me with heavy black chains jingling in his large hands. I shot him right in the shoulder. As he growled, about to rip my arrow from his body, Kristoff came at him, swinging an axe and severed his head. I rolled to my feet and I moved to get out of the way. I was suddenly hit in the back of the head by one of my crews elbows by accident as he pulled back to punch the day-lights out of our nasty enemies. When he knocked him out he looked back at me, grinned and apologized in a silly, sloppy manner and ran off to punch more idiots.  
I watched as guns fired, some even came close to hitting me that came from my own crew members. Our numbers were not looking too good. I found more bodies of my friends lying about rather than those that were coming after us. I raised my bow again, ready to fire or accidentally fire off my arrow. But before I could manage to fire an arrow I fell backwards, tripping over one of my own friends. The arrow I had ready flew off and pierced one of the sails, flying off into space, never to come back. I dropped my weapon for a second and scrambled to pick it up again. A peg leg slammed on my injured hand and I cried out in pain. I looked up and saw Scrapper eyeing me down with a mean look. He suddenly smiled at me and I was filled with fear and very confused. He raised one hand, dagger looking nice and pretty as it was about to stab me right in my chest. I stopped breathing for only a few seconds until Scrapper was kicked by Kristoff. I finally found my breath again and I stood up quickly.  
"Get out of here!" he yelled at me as Scrapper crawled to his feet and ran off in the fighting crowd. I ran back to the cabin room, brushing past everyone and dodging hits. I gathered up my things quickly and headed to the docking room. Silver took a strong hold of my arm and pulled me along. He surprised me at first and I almost screamed. "You's need to get off this ship. Now!" he yelled. The ship was full and we were constantly being pushed back. Before he reached the door to the loading area we were stopped by none other than Stickler.   
He bared his teeth with an evil grin and raised his right hand, a shiny grey pistol gripped tightly in his grasp. "I've waited a long time for this." He spoke. "I'll only ask once, Silver. Where is the map?"  
"The map is long gone, Stickler. Stop chasing a lost dream."  
"It isn't lost!" he yelled. He pointed the pistol at us, his hand shaking from anger. I looked up at Silver, wondering why he hadn't shot him already. Before he could shoot either of us, the ship rocked, getting a canon blown into it. A lot of us fell, including Sliver, me, and even Stickler. My alchemy book and even one of my coins and a few pens came falling out of my bag. I rushed to pick up my book which flopped open and my book-mark long gone now. It was then when I came face-to-face with Stickler before finally getting up. I'll never forget the look of struggle that went through his eyes and also the curiosity that sprouted from him when he saw what was inside of my book. He gave me one last look before Silver picked me up with his arm and pulled me to the docking area.

Together Silver and I unloaded the boat that we were on just hours before in just a few seconds flat. I hoped in and reached out for Silver to get in. "Come on!" I said.  
He only shook his head and gave me a sad look. "A good captain…goes down with her ship."  
My mouth dropped a little and I shook my head. I reached out even more this time. "Come on, Silver!" I begged him.  
He took hold of my hand and for a second I was hopeful. He only squeezed it slightly and managed to give me a small smile. "You'se don' belong on this ship anymore, lil bird." my eyes watered. I was angry, confused and sad all at the same time. I tried to pull him in but Silver wouldn't budge. "I'se wish I could have taught you more." he voice was soft all of a sudden.  
He let go of my hand and I reached to touch his face. "Silver…" I was starting to choke on my own tears now.  
Silver took off his red bandana and placed it in my hands. He reached for the lever and said, "Fly away, little bird!" and the boat dropped from the ship, taking off on auto-pilot.  
"SILVER!" I cried out, tears coming down my face. I screamed loud, still reaching out in a hopeless attempt that Silver would change his mind and follow after. But he never did, and as I floated off into the sea of space quickly I cried and watched as my beloved crew and ship burned.

I laid in that boat for hours and hours. My eyes stung and felt heavy with all my crying. Even my voice had gone hoarse. I stared up at the sky, watching the stars float above from billions of miles away. Occasionally a space whale would float by; I didn't have the strength to reach out and pet its smooth skin. I was hungry and I had not a drop of water or a bite of bread on this boat. The longer I was on this boat the worse I became and just when I thought it couldn't get any worse the soft humming of the boat silenced. It was dead. I was now drifting to God knows where. Hah! Funny…God. I found myself thinking about him. Did God even exist in this universe? I shook my thoughts of him completely away. Soon the air would evaporate from the boat and even the gravitational pull would start to fade away. I would soon suffocate and float off into the sea of space. I started to hum, trying to stop myself from anymore tears falling down. It was just me, my humming and the silent, drowning sigh of space. What did I expect to happen? Did I think everything would be all hunky-dory on Silver's ship? No. Something was bound to happen that would result in me getting split up; I just thought it wouldn't be this soon. The sound of my voice, humming, was making me sleepy and I started to drift off to sleep. My eyes were flickering open, scared that if I did fall asleep I would never wake up again. Suddenly, I saw white sails coming toward me. I was too tired to raise my head or wave my arms and I continued to lay there. The ship came closer. Were my eyes deceiving me? Was this real? Was I about to die and fly to paradise on a ship with white sails? No. I saw creatures and a few human men peer out on the side of the ship. They pointed their fingers and a few of them even waved their hands. Some of them were even calling out to me, but I could hardly hear them. I saw a hook that latched down on the boat, making me stop. I was close to passing out. I strained my eyes to stay open, to keep myself awake and I was fighting sleep as much as I could. The young man who came floating down next to me on a device similar to the one Silver had (only bigger) picked me up in his arms effortlessly and I felt myself go. But before I did I heard him speak, "Don't worry, I've got you. You're safe now." I closed my eyes; sleep over coming me as I rested my head on his shoulder. Don't worry…I've got you…You're safe now…His voice echoed in my head as I dreamed about flying home


	5. Sweet Safety

I rubbed my face on what seemed to be red velvet. My lips were dry and cracked and I felt a layer of dirt and muck all over my body and I smelt smoke on my clothes. The last thing I remembered was Silver yelling at me to go. I was so afraid. I had only tasted the life as a rooky for a few weeks. Silver taught me a lot in that short amount of time, but it was not enough; least to me it seemed that way. Here I was, alone in some alien room, trying to figure where I went wrong. How long was I on that little boat just floating endlessly? I stood up a little too quickly and had to sit back down to regain myself. I stood back up after some time and looked about the room. A bed sat a few feet away from me and beside it was a small night stand with a half drank glass of white wine and a wine bottle sitting on top of the stand. The bed looked so comfy. It's brown and white sheets and huge white feathered filled pillows looked very welcoming, but I was in no mood to sleep. I then spotted a tall dresser next to another window. The brown oak had a nice up-keep look to it. After scanning the room and getting used to the fancy surroundings I walked to the only door that stood in front of me. I placed my hand on the knob and slowly turned it, only opening it a crack. I saw creatures of all sorts working on deck. There was a wave of jibber-jabber going on in a language I did not know and I swore I could hear the unusual sounds of Flatula being echoed across (from what I could see) the giant ship. I closed the door then and kept in unlocked. I was sure the Captain of the ship would come striding in soon to check up on his new found "spoils" in the sea of space. I suddenly became very afraid of the Captain. Would he hurt me? Was he a ruthless pirate? I didn't know. I was almost tempted to lock the door now, but instead I found myself back on that sofa, waiting, my eyes fixed on the door.

By the time I heard the first sound of someone walking by the door, the handle wobbling as it turned it was nearly night; the orange and pink bright light that was fading made my light brown hair look auburn. I turned my gaze to the door that was finally being opened. My heart skipped a beat. Would the Captain be as mean and ruthless as my wild imagination pictured him? I held my breath, ready to come face-to-face with the truth. Who I saw was not so scary after all. My heart dropped to my stomach as he walked through the door, the light hitting his sharp face perfectly. His brown hair lay perfectly around his face and his deep blue eyes stunned me. Was he the captain? His broad shoulders, a five-o'clock shadow on his jaw and chin, thick eyebrows. He wore a dark blue, rough looking coat with gold embroidering on it and buttons and a white shirt peeking out from it and to go along with it, black paints. His black boots clunked on the wooden floor as he walked the rest of the way in and he closed the door. He didn't lock it. I took that as a positive sign.  
"You're up." he finally said. I remained sitting, my cold feet curled up under my butt; come to think of it, where were my boots? "Your boots are in the closet and so is your bow and arrows." he reassured me, as if he could read my mind, or maybe it was because of how I sat? I didn't know. "I'm the Captain of the ship. Captain James Hawkins. But you can call me Jim." he smiled, trying to make me feel more at ease.  
Jim Hawkins? Where had I heard that name? Oh, yes! Silver told me about him. He didn't tell me much and when I would try to talk about him more Silver would totally disregard me. I suppose these two got off on a bad hand? I didn't know that either, so I kept my mouth shut and let Jim speak. "What's your name?" he asked.  
"Briar. Briar Edwards"  
"You no longer have to be concerned for your safety, Briar Edwards. I assure you that you are in good hands." he told me, taking another step towards me. "You must be hungry."  
As if on cue my stomach growled. "What do you have?" I asked him. Not sure if eating this crews food was such a good idea. From what Silver told me, on a respectable ship everyone was given a certain amount of portions. "I can live if you don't have the food to spare." I suddenly spoke up, surprising myself.  
Jim laughed. "Of course, you stay here. I'll get you something." as he walked out of the room I ran to the closet and grabbed my boots. I put them on quickly, suddenly remembering how heavy they were because of the steel toes.

Jim came back soon after and I was still sitting on the sofa. He placed the plate of food beside me and handed me a tall glass of water. I could smell the chicken that laid buried under the mashed potatoes and vegetables. "You're lucky," he said. "It's a decent meal tonight. We don't usually eat like this."  
"Thank you. I really appreciate it." I took my first bite of mashed potatoes and savored the taste. "It's really good."  
I noticed him eyeing the bandana on my wrist that Silver had given me, and before I could say anything he asked, "Where did you get that?" his mood was a little serious now.  
"A friend. His name is Silver. He's the one that took me in and taught me as much as he could before we got separated."  
"Silver?" his interest perked even more at the sound of his name. "Do you know where he is now?"  
I took a big gulp of my water before answering him. "Do you think I would be here if I did?" I gave him a look as in 'Come on dude, really?'  
He smirked a little at this. "I suppose you're right."  
He was about to walk away but he stopped, opened his mouth as if to say something, turned, then stopped again and looked back at me. "Yes?" I asked.  
"You look pretty young to be out and about by yourself...for a girl, I mean. How old are you?"  
I tried not to grin but I failed. "Twenty-three." I told him.  
He seemed surprised and a little relieved. "Oh. You look seventeen or so."  
"How old are you?" I asked. I was really curious now.  
Jim cleared his throat before answering me. "Twenty-six." it was an awkward silence between the two of us for a moment and then he spoke up. "I'll be eating and sleeping with the crew tonight. Feel free to use my bed." with that he left, a light breeze coming in and blowing my hair back. I had finally met the Captain. Now what about the rest of the crew? And where was Silver? I never saw him get off the ship as it burned.

I set my empty plate down and burped. I felt a little space in my stomach being moved for more food but I told myself that that was enough and I didn't need to ask for more. But as I looked out the window and gazed at the stars I noticed just how elegant they looked. Perhaps it was because of the new ship I was on? Everything seemed new and well-kept care of. The wood on Silver's ship was never this shiny and the furniture never looked this new. It even smelt fairly nice. And if I listened close enough I could hear the chatter from below deck. Everyone seemed to be having a good time and the faint sound of a flute could be heard. Curious, I wondered outside of the captain's room, and onto the deck. I first poked my head through the door and the only soul in sight was a troll looking man who kept watch at the very top. I easily snuck by him and followed the sound. The sound was coming from below, as I thought, which was a no brainer, and I took my first step down being careful to not make a sound. I just wanted to see part of the crew. I wasn't quite ready to meet them yet.

I went as far as I could allow myself before I got too uncomfortable. I heard the loud laughter of men and women of all different kinds of races, I heard songs and the flute was still playing. They all seemed like a lively group of shipmates. The smell from the bottom was pleasant and for a split second I thought of myself back on Silver's ship. I remembered how I first got there and I remembered being picked up by that tree man. I remembered Silver conversing with Stickler and how we barely made it out alive. And of course there was Scrapper. He raised his dagger at me and all I could do was stay frozen in fear. Did I startle him? And was he just as surprised as I was to be raising his dagger at me? I wanted to think the best of him but, I knew in my gut that there was something more to it; I just didn't know what yet. I quickly left and snuck back to the captains room. My feet were cold now so I put the pillow on top of them to try and warm them up. As I sat there the noise below started to die down. There were footsteps passing the door but they disappeared too. I looked to my right and saw that my plate was still sitting there and I wondered if the captain would come back to get it or if I was going to have to return it. It was still a lot for me to take in. Not only was I in an entirely new universe, or time, but I was surrounded by beings that I was used to seeing as wild animals or house pets. Come to think of it, I hadn't seen a single human female since I got here. I knew that I was in no real danger, though. The others didn't see me as attractive as they would their own kind. And I never pissed anyone off, at least not that I know of. Again my mind wondered to Scrapper and I became irritated suddenly. How dare he point that gun at me! I buried my face in my palms and sighed heavily.  
"Having a hard time getting situated?"  
I looked up at the captain James Hawkins. I didn't even hear him come in, so I was a bit surprised with myself. "Oh. I'm fine. And you?"  
He laughed a little and walked up to the dresser and grabbed my plate. "I'm just fine, thanks. Did you have enough to eat?" I nodded and he started for the door but stopped and looked back. "Did you ever say where you were headed? Perhaps I can take you there?"  
I waited a moment to speak and before saying anything I took a deep breath. "I didn't."  
"Where are you from then? I'd like to help you as much as I can."  
It was sweet of him trying his best, but there was no way he could help me get back home. "I'm not headed anywhere." I told him.  
Jim raised both his brows and straightened his shoulders a bit more. "So you're a runaway?"  
If I wasn't so tired I might have laughed, but all I did was shake my head. "No. I didn't run away. It's a very complicated story and I'm not sure you can help me."  
Jim almost looked defeated. "Oh. What a shame." he sighed and started walking again but turned back around. I was getting a strange feeling of déjà vu. "You understand that I cannot have you free loading on here for no more than of couple days. Everyone must do their part."  
"I understand," I told him. "But if it puts your mind at ease, I am willing to help with as much as I can. When I was with Silver he had me work in the kitchen."  
Jim smiled a little. "If you were to help it wouldn't be in the kitchen. Just get some sleep and we'll talk more about this tomorrow."


	6. Let Me Help You

The next morning I awoke with a start. Suddenly remembering what had taken place the day before I calmed myself and took a deep breath. I listened for a moment and realized then that everything was quite. Was I the first one up? I turned and look up at the window and saw that sunlight was just starting to peak through. Ah morning. It was my favorite time of the day; when everything was quiet and new and so beautiful. I remembered waking up early in my dorm room back in Italy. The people, the music, the food and the smells, the old roads and buildings. I'd never forget it. Would I ever see it again? I didn't know. I jumped off the couch and walked over to the closet where Jim said my boots and bow and arrows were. He said I could have slept in his bed, too, but I was fine with the couch. I felt as if he done too much for me already, Besides I would feel weird sleeping in his bed. I had never slept in a man's bed before.  
As I finished putting on my boots and taking out my bow and arrows I started for the door, but first I listened to hear if anyone was on deck. When the cost was clear and not a single sound could be heard I opened the door and stepped out on to the deck for the second time. Everything was so peaceful looking. The light from the sun was catching a silver figure of some weird looking creature at the very head of the ship and it blinded me for a moment. As I walked the rest of the way out and closed the door quietly behind me I walked up some steps leading to the other end of the deck where the silver figure was and looked out at the rising sun. I wondered if Silver was looking at the same sun, or if my dad was looking at it, too. Sighing, I rested my elbows on the edge of the deck and started to day dream.  
"Pretty isn't it?" Said a voice.  
"Huh?" A little shocked I turned to see who it was and relaxed when I saw that it was just Jim.  
He gestured toward the sun. "It's pretty."  
I looked back at the sun. "Oh! Y-yeah. It is pretty."  
He cleared his throat then. "You're looking about eight seconds into the past right now."  
"What?" I said, confused.  
He laughed a little. "You are," he started. "The sun is about eight light seconds away. So whatever you are seeing right now is eight seconds of the past. Cool huh?"  
"Don't you mean light year?"  
He shook his head, smiling. "No, no. One light year is the distance light travels in a year. A light second is the distance light travels in a second. Make sense?" I nodded. He then asked, "Didn't you learn that in school?"  
I thought for a moment. "More than likely, yes, I just don't remember. Is that bad?"  
Jim laughed a little. "If you're out here, yeah, it's bad. It's good to know these things. Glad I could remind you." he stopped for a second and then asked me, "Is your hand ok?"  
I looked down at my bandaged hand and rubbed it. "Yeah, it's better. Thanks." It was quiet then for a moment between the two of us. I didn't know what to say. I felt stupid for not knowing something so simple, especially for being a student you who studied abroad. I didn't want to keep silent, though, I wanted to ask Jim where he came from but I was afraid then if he'd ask me the same question, so I stayed silent. He didn't need to know about me yet.  
Just then Jim sighed and started walking down the steps. "Better wake everyone up." he called out to me. I watched Jim as he walked over to a large gold bell standing just a few feet away from the door I left from just moments ago and started to ring it. I covered my ears quickly, the sound of it was very annoying and loud. Everyone was up and at it by then and I could already smell food being cooked below me. Ah Breakfast! I wondered what was going to be. I didn't really care as long as I didn't have to be the one cooking it.

Within just a few moments everyone had come out from the lower cabin and started raising the sails and checking to see if everything had been left the way it was which it was. Everything that is, except for me. I was new on this ship and out in the open for everyone to see me. A few stopped to stare while others hardly bothered to give me a second glance. I'm sure Jim, their captain, had already told them about me and to leave me alone. They didn't have to though if that were the case. I got along just fine with Silver's shipmates and they were rougher looking.  
I stood at the front of the deck, watching everyone do their own thing. They all knew what to do. It was like watching a dance. Everyone did their job so gracefully. It was for certain that Jim's crew was a lot better trained when it came to tending a ship, or rather I should say, more tidy and quick about things. I would for sure be learning a thing a or two from everyone on this ship before get off it. Jim was on the opposite end of the ship, steering it and giving commands and before I knew someone had rung the bell again and that's when everyone headed down for breakfast. I wasn't sure or not if I should follow but I heard Jim call out to me and I knew then that it was ok to join everyone for some food. I was hungry again after all.

When I reached the lower park of the ship tables were everywhere but there was still plenty of room to walk around. I stood at the end of the line, not wanting to attract attention to myself and kept quiet. I didn't need to worry about anyone talking to me, or so I thought when the man in front of me turned and grinned. "You the new girl, eh?" his voice was bit high pitched.  
I looked down; the man (if that's what you could call him) was half my size. His skin was grey and he hardly had any hair on top his head and no beard. His body was round and smooth looking. He had stubby looking feet but long arms (Strange indeed). But perhaps I was the one who looked strange and not him? "Hello," I said. "Nice to meet you." I smiled and he smiled back.  
"What's yer name?" he asked.  
"Briar. Briar Edwards." I told him.  
He sniffed and rubbed his nose. "Strange name." He commented.  
I could only smile, feeling a bit awkward. "Well it's my name and I think it is a rather beautiful name." I paused for a second. "What's your name?" I asked him.  
"Lug!" He answered.  
"Lug?" I swallowed hard. "What a nice name." He said nothing though and turned back around. It was almost our turn to get food.  
When I finally got my food I looked about the room to try and find a place to sit where it wasn't so crowded. I saw Lug sitting down next to a few others that looked a little himself and right away he and his friends started chatting away in another language. I felt like I was back in high school. So…out of place. Suddenly, a hand rested on my shoulder and I nearly dropped my food (which looked like oatmeal) and relaxed when I saw that it was only Jim. "Don't scare me like that." I said, taking a breath to try and calm my crazy beating heart.  
He seemed as startled as me for having scaring me. "Ah, sorry," he apologized. "You can come sit with me if you like? I can introduce you to a few shipmates."  
"Sounds good," I said and I followed him to the smallest table in the room. Only a few others sat there, which relieved me.  
I was introduced to a lizard woman named Zee, two men(one a tiger and the other a hippo crossed with an elephant) named Lou and Mr. Omi, who was the cook. Zee and Lou were Jim's most trusted shipmates. While loud conversations were behind us I could still hear the pleasant one we were all having at our tiny table. I was so interested in what everyone had to say that I barely touched my food.  
"What about you?" Zee said to me.  
"Huh?" I blinked a few times and looked down at my food, my stomach growling.  
"What do you think of the Orcus Galacticus?"  
I took a few bites of my food before looking up at her, confused. "Uh…I'm sorry. I don't know what that is." I took more bites of my food, hoping they would stop asking me questions and go back to the easy going conversation we had before. Everyone gave me a weird look. Even Jim was surprised.  
"How hard did you hit your head girl?" Mr. Omi asked me.  
"Hit my head?" I asked.  
Lou nodded, finally speaking up after not saying much. "You were out cold pretty much when we found you. You looked really beat up. What happened to you?"  
Zee nodded. "Yes, now that Lou has mentioned it, why were you out there all by yourself?" I didn't know what to say. Everyone at the table was looking at me now. And just as I was about to give them a lousy answer Jim spoke before I could, seeing the look on my face he probably knew I really didn't want to talk about it.  
"I'm full," Jim stated. "Let's get busy." he ordered everyone in the room with a loud voice. And just like that the conversation ended and my answer to their question floated around in the air like a balloon. I knew I would have to pop that balloon in order to answer their question sooner or later.

I walked on out from below the deck and watched as everyone swarm about me, doing whatever it was they needed to do. Jim was steering the ship again and Lou was next to him. They were talking but I didn't know what about. I looked up suddenly, seeing a flag at the very top and I stood there for a moment, trying to figure out where I had seen it before. The answer fell on me like heavy weights and I focused my attention on the sea of space. Everything was coming back to me now. The ships flag was the same one that I saw when Silver had stopped at the space port. I wondered then if that was the reason Silver was in such a hurry to leave. To me it seemed like Jim was hoping to see him again, like he might be an old friend and not an enemy. If that was the case, why was Silver so scared? It was at that moment that Lug came up to me and gave me a good look up and down. "Ya don't look so good." he told me. "Look like ya gon' throw up. Not used to the ship life, eh?"  
I shook my head. He had no idea what was going on and at the same time I had no idea what to tell him. "I'll be fine. Had too much to eat is all."  
He gave me a funny look. "Ya talk awfully proper. Where ya from?" Again? That stupid question again? Should I just play dumb? I was trying to think off all the space ports and towns that Silver had told me about and there was only one that I could think of.  
"Montressor." I answered him.  
Lug looked at me, eyes wide and a big, fat grin spreading from cheek to cheek. "Oi! Briar here is from Monstressor!" He shouted out. I wanted to hit Lug right on top of his flat head but I was too stiff with fear to do it. Instead I just looked at him, one eye twitching because of my stupid nerves.  
"Shut up!" I whispered.  
"Why?" I couldn't answer him. "Captain is from there." He told me.  
Lug wasn't helping. "Ugh. I think I'm going to be sick!" I found the courage to move and headed back to where I first woke up. I locked the door. I didn't care. The way Lug shouted out made me sick to my stomach, and perhaps it was breakfast. Every part of me was hoping that no one really heard him and was all too busy to hear what he said, especially Jim. I grabbed for my bow and arrows and sat at on the couch, counting all the arrows over and over again, trying to keep my mind busy.  
The handle to the door jiggled a little and I looked up, remembering that I had locked it. I stared at it, nervous as a knock sounded on the door next. "Briar?" It was Jim. I stayed silent. "Miss Edwards?" Why was I acting this way? I totally looked suspicious now! "Open the door," he said. I set my weapon down and slowly walked over to the door. I had only been here two days and already I was acting like a fool. As I opened the door Jim pushed his way in right away and then quickly closed the door behind him and this time he locked it. "Care to have a seat? I'd like to talk with you." I stayed silent and sat back over to where my bow and arrows were and waiting for Jim to speak. He pulled up a chair in front of me and looked at me with a concerned expression for a few moments. "So, Montressor, huh?"  
"What?"  
"Lug said you were from Montressor. I'm from Montressor." he pointed to himself. It was silent again. I would look up at him from time to time but always shook my eyes away from him. His stare never once faltered. He was waiting for me to speak. I don't even think he blinked; then again I was looking away too many times to see if he even did.  
Finally, I took in a deep breath. "Yeah…" My voice trailed off. How as I suppose to talk to him?  
"What part of Montressor? North? South? East or west side? Where?" he asked curious.  
I thought for a moment. _Should I just tell him the truth?_ I was running out of time. "North," I answered him. Technically I wasn't lying. I was from the North…but not from Montressor.  
"Oh! Well then that's great. I'm from there, too." Jim replied. It wasn't something I wanted to hear him say. Now I was in even bigger trouble. I looked up at Jim again and this time we locked eyes for a few seconds. I sighed, defeated and then looked down at my feet. "You're not really from Montressor, are you?" I heard him say. I could only shake my head. "Why didn't you just tell me?"  
"What was I supposed to say?" I asked him. "I have no idea where I am. Hell I almost died coming here!" I fought back some tears.  
This time Jim sighed, taking in a deep breath and then letting it out. "Briar, I think it's time you tell me what happened to you. I would like to get you home if I can."  
Poor Jim, he was trying so hard to get me home. And in truth my home was long gone. "Briar?"  
I looked up at him then, I had calmed down a little. I knew I didn't have to pretend anymore. I could tell him. "I'm from a small town in Washington." I told him honestly.  
A puzzled look spread across his face. "Washington?" he said. "Where is that?"  
"In America," I told him.  
Again, Jim was totally confused. "Where is that Space Port?"  
I shook my head. "It's not a space port. Although they do have airports there," I laughed stupidly; a bad joke. But Jim wasn't getting any of it and I knew I would have to speak those same five lettered words to him just as I did with Silver. "Earth," I finally said. And the word slipped through my mouth like butter. I saw the gears working inside Jim's head and just when I thought he was going to have the same reaction as Silver he laughed, throwing me completely off. "What's so funny?" I asked him.  
"There is no such place as Earth anymore. Earth, as you call it, is gone. The Coral Galaxy has changed a lot since then."  
"Coral Galaxy?" now I was confused. "Ok…stop. Just stop. I'm so confused right now. If Silver were here he would be able to explain all this better to you."  
"Speaking of Silver," Jim didn't fail to get my hint about dropping the whole Earth conversation and brought up Silver, which was a lot easier to talk about. This was someone we were both familiar with. "You are the last person I've came across that has seen him in the last couple of years. How was he doing the last you saw him? Good?"  
I looked down at my bandaged hand, _Fly away, little bird!_ it was the last thing he said to me. "I never saw him get off the ship." I told Jim. "Silver found me and took care of me for a while. If not for him I would be dead."  
He asked "Were you attacked?" I nodded. "By who?"  
"I don't know. The only enemy of Silver's that I know of is Stickler. That's his name, or at least the one he goes by." I paused, looking up at Jim again.  
"The name sounds familiar." he said. "Police have been out trying to find him for a few years now. You think maybe he was the one that attacked you?"  
I shrugged. "I don't know. I wasn't on the ship for very long until Silver got me out of there. The ship was burning by then."  
"But Silver seemed to be in good health, right?" Jim asked. I nodded. He stood up from the chair then and put it back where he got it and straightened out his jacket. "I'm glad you told me this. I'll take you back to Montressor and we'll figure out what to do from there." I nodded again and I watched Jim leave the room. He was so nice to help me out. Both he and Silver were really kind. I went back to counting my arrows, calming the rest of the way down. _I wonder what Montressor is like._


	7. The Storm Within

Jim's ship was truly grand and beautiful. I felt like I was on a cruise. Everyone continued to do what they were supposed to do, perfecting their dances of chores on the ship. As for me, I had my fair share of chores as well. My first priority of the day as soon as breakfast was eaten I was to clean the captain's room. It wasn't a very hard job first thing in the morning and for that I was grateful. I mainly just dusted and picked up my mess on the couch (I was still sleeping there because a loft had not yet been made for me. There was already so many people on the ship that there wasn't really anywhere else to put me). Jim had set up a divider in his room whenever night came, that way we at least had some kind of privacy. It wasn't much of a divider but it was enough for either of us if we needed to change.  
My next chore was to clean any of the dishes that Mr. Omi had not gotten to yet and take over for him. Even though he usually got half of them done it was still about the same amount I did back on Silver's ship just because it was smaller, so it was less people. It didn't bother me, doing dishes. In a way it was relaxing. It gave me time to think and I thought about a lot of things. I thought about my dad and how he was doing. Surely he thought that I was dead? Or perhaps he is long gone, too? Silver did say that earth had been gone for thousands of years. At least my dad no longer had to suffer living without me because he was probably dead now, too, just like my mom. My heart ached a little. I hadn't thought of her for years, not in moments like this anyway. My mom had died when I was ten from lung cancer(Its funny though seeing how she never smoked a day in her life). After a while she just gave up and passed away while I sat right next to her on the hospital bed. No goodbyes. No kisses. No hugs; just sudden death. I was pushed aside from doctors and nurses as they tried to revive her and I stood there and watched as they failed over and over again to bring her back. I felt so numb I couldn't even feel the tears coming down my cheeks. You could say that was when I became obsessed with alchemy and wanting to turn back time or bring the dead back to life. But as I got older I knew that there was no such thing as the Philosopher stone and turning back time was out of the question. But maybe it wasn't. If I had ended up here…maybe turning back time could really happen and perhaps I could bring the dead back to life! I laughed at myself and finished the dishes, wiping my head clean from such thoughts.

That evening when everyone had had their supper we were all crowded under deck. The tables had been moved to make space in the middle. Music was lightly playing as everyone talked and laughed. Jim was there, too, he was laughing alongside some of the crew member that I had not fully been acquainted with. He looked so handsome when he smiled. His nice white teeth shone nicely and his blue eyes glimmered as he looked from one friend to the other spoke with them. Wait. What was I thinking? Being attracted to the captain was out of the question. Besides, he probably had a sweet heart waiting for him back on Montressor. Just as I was trying to rid the thought of handsome Jim out of my mind the music got louder and distracted me, thankfully. Everyone started to dance then. It didn't matter if you knew how to dance, everyone had fun doing it. Lug popped in front of my face then and pulled me forward. "Dance," He yelled happily. I couldn't help but laugh and join everyone else. I noticed, though, that Jim was not dancing and some of his friends were fighting very hard to get him to and finally he gave in and danced. I didn't know such moves existed. The way he moved his feet, nodded his head and even swung his hips. It was amazing.  
The music drastically changed after that and everyone found a partner. Lug took my head and spun me around. I laughed. It was not long, though, until partners were changed and I was placed with Lou. At first I wasn't sure he was the dancing type, but he certainly proved me wrong when he picked me up and spun with me over his head and then lightly landed me on my feet danced around me. I switched partners another three times before I came face to face with the captain himself. When he saw me he grinned and I was bit worried there for a second. He grabbed me around the waist and held me close to his body. He was warm and I could feel his heart beating fast through his chest. He took me on a quick run around the room, spinning with me in his arms every so often and then back to the spot where we had ended up when partnered up. The music stopped then and everyone cheered as more beer was poured. I looked up at Jim. He was looking at his crew, happy that they were all having a good time. I didn't need any alchemy to make it feel like time was slowing down for me. Being in this trance was enough.  
Realizing that he was still holding me, Jim quickly let me go. I didn't want him to but he did, his warmth vanishing from me. And at first I thought that maybe with all the excitement happening that that was why my ears were beginning to ring, but when I saw the look on Jim's face and silence befalling the room I knew it was something much more. "Grab on to something!" Jim yelled. And just like that the ship rocked so hard I felt the room spinning and I had no control over my body. Whatever hit the ship it came at us so fast that it was enough to knock everyone on their feet ten times over.  
When I fell it didn't hurt. Something or someone had stopped me from knocking in to anything. The whole ship shook for a moment and once the loud ringing had stopped only to be followed next by loud whistling did I notice that Jim had wrapped his arms around me. We were lying on the floor in the corner of the room and a table almost smashing into us but had stopped just inches away. I saw everyone shoot up then and head up to the dock, shouting. Jim was still there with me, checking to see if I was alright. He was saying something to me but I had a hard time hearing out of my left ear. Finally I understood what he was saying nodded. He let me go then and headed up on deck. Jim had told me I could either stay down here where it could be safer or help secure the life lines. Silver had taught me how to make a pretty good knot so I headed up to the deck and that's when I knew that everything that I learned about space was both right and very wrong. Fire balls, or rather, giant meteors were flying at us, missing the ship by mere inches. Everything surrounding us was a giant yellow cloud and in those clouds was lightening. I could even hear the thunder. Deep down inside my gut I knew we would have to sail through that cloud and out to the other side in order to make it out of this storm.  
After I made sure everyone's life line was secure I tide a knot for myself last. I got down on my knees and held on to the pillar where the life lines were and waited for the worst. Jim was still giving orders while people ran around, trying to protect the ship. I watched as some shot back at the meteors and knocked them out of course so they wouldn't hit us. As we neared the yellow cloud I held on to the pillar tighter, my hand starting to throb again. I closed my eyes as we went in and for the longest time all I could hear was the loud banging of thunder. I thought for sure that if I lived through this that I would deaf after. And for just a moment I opened my eyes and saw nothing but yellow smoke surrounding me. No. It was the cloud. I could hardly see a few feet ahead of me that was how thick it was. For that moment I truly felt all alone. I could see no one else.  
The ship rocked then and I saw that the end was near. I could finally see out to space and as the ship stopped rocking I let go of the pillar and looked behind me. The cloud was still there but now it just seemed so quite aside from the faint thunder. I didn't fully understand, but I was glad to be out of there and away from danger. The crew cheered again, thankful to be alive and well. It was late now and you could see it on everyone's faces. It was another hour before everyone could head off to bed. I stayed as well helped clean up broken pieces of wood and glass. A lot of the dishes were lost to the storm but there was still enough to go round and for people to eat off of. In a way I was glad it happened because it meant fewer dishes for me to clean.  
By the time I head off to bed I was dead tired and my body hurt all over. I pulled off my boots with such force that my ankles popped, releasing the tension in my feet. I threw them as far away from me as possible, almost hitting Jim as he walked in. "Whoa! Did I come in at a bad time?" he half joked.  
I smiled dumbly at him. "No, I'm just glad to be rid of those boots. My feet hurt." After saying that it was then that I noticed the pain on my hand. I gave it a good look and saw that it was bleeding.  
"Ah. That's no good." I heard Jim say. I watched as he quickly got a bowl of water and a rag and some new bandages. He set everything down on the night stand next to me and pulled up the chair like he did the last time, only closer this time. He reached for my injured hand and I let him take it. He carefully undid the knot I made with Silver's bandana and set it aside. "We can clean it later. First, let's clean this." and he went straight into cleaning my hand. Jim was very gentle about it. It surprised me. For such a strong guy he had a soft touch. "You did well tonight." he suddenly said.  
"Huh? Me?" again I was surprised.  
He nodded. "Was that your first storm?" He watched as I nodded. "I remember my first storm. Although, not all were so lucky to have lived through it," Shocked, I asked what happened. Jim took a breath before he explained everything. He told me he was fifteen when he first went on his first ship. That's where he had met Silver and how he had to deal with pirates and survive the trip back. "And then," he paused, staring at my injured hand. He laughed a little to himself and shook his head.  
"And then what?" I asked.  
Jim finished up bandaging up my hand before finishing. "I was obsessed with treasure back then and so was Silver. That's what brought us together." He paused again. "I'm afraid I will never find anything like the map to Treasure Planet ever again. Even if I did I'm not sure I would want any part of it." I thought back to me obsessing over alchemy and in a way Jim and I were not so different. And then I suddenly remembered my book. I had left it behind and a very uneasy feeling filled my stomach and I rotated myself on the couch to be more comfortable. "I hope you sleep well. You've earned it." Jim told me before finally getting up and putting up the divider again. I was left alone to my thoughts again. I felt as though Jim had opened up to me, even if it was just a little. There was still so much about him that I did not know though. I was only starting to scratch the surface about him and this new world I was living in. I had been on his ship for a couple of days now and I wondered when we would reach Monstressor. And despite whatever storms I may have to endure in the future I felt as though a storm was building up inside of me. I had so many questions and not enough answers. I guess I was homesick, but this was my home now. Or perhaps I was completely wrong…


	8. Home Sweet Home

I was with Zee cleaning some daggers in the weapons room; it was half passed noon and I was still hungry after lunch. The mean was a meat sandwich with a light salad and some wine for a drink. I had become antiquated with everyone on the ship whether they wanted me here or not. For the most part, though, I got along with everyone.  
It had been two weeks since the big storm...and the only storm I've had to encounter (thankfully) since being on this ship. I hadn't much talked to Jim either, seeing how he was always so busy keeping track of what everyone was doing and constantly looking at either a compass or map. There were many times where I wanted to walk up to him and start a conversation, and sometimes I almost did, but I always stopped myself, thinking: no, Jim Hawkins does not want to talk to you right now. Once you get to Montressor he will probably dump you. It was a terrible thought, I know, but I couldn't help but think that way.  
"Something bothering you, kid?" Zee asked me.  
I realized I was staring off into space when she asked me. "Who me?" I placed the dagger back in its rightful place and grabbed the last one I had to clean.  
"You are deep in thought, I can tell." Zee was on to me. She knew something was wrong.  
"I'm just wondering what I will do once we get to Montressor, that's all."  
"Didn't you say your family was from there?"  
I cursed quietly to myself and thought quickly. "Yeah...if they're still there." I lied.  
"Do not worry. Captain will take good care of you." Zee twirled the clean dagger in her hand a few times before putting it away. "Finish up that last one and head on up." She left me then alone in my thoughts.  
 _The Captain will take good care of you,_ she says. I hoped so as I put the last dagger away and followed after Zee. When I reached the fresh air of the dock I was met by a most wondrous sight!  
"Montressor space port!" I heard Lug cry up in the out-look post. Was this really the Montressor space port? It was massive! It looked like half a circle from far away, but as we got closer the flatter it became. _What kind of physics is this?_ I thought. I didn't care, though. I had seen so many weird things since coming here that seeing strange things was becoming a regular thing.

It took another hour before the ship was settled into the space port. I had run ahead and gathered what little I had brought with me and anxiously waited to step on to solid ground again. Jim was descending the stairs with a neat white and blue bag at his side. I noticed it had gold buttons on it, too. He was dressed in his best with his hair combed back and his beard trimmed very nicely. I was so fixed on Jim that I hadn't noticed that everyone else had left the ship.  
"Briar? Still here, I see." he said standing next to me. "I'm glad you waited. I don't want you getting lost."  
"Where would I even go?" I half joked.  
He smiled. "Follow me. There is someone I want you to meet." I became nervous all of a sudden. _Meet who,_ I thought, wondering if it was a girl-friend he was talking about. I suddenly became very jealous of this person whom I had never met. Or perhaps it wasn't a girl after all it was a young boy or older man who was a good friend.  
I let Jim lead the way as I followed close behind him. It was hard to up with him, not because he walked too fast but because it was so crowded. I hadn't been around this many people since walking around Italy. Oh how I missed Italy. Jim would love it. Before I knew it though we were away from the space port and getting into a more rural area. We walked passed markets and restaurants and tons of shops. Montressor was a giant tourists attraction.  
"We'll have to a boat to get to where we need to go." Jim finally told me after about ten minutes of walking in silence.  
"And by boat you mean another one of those floaty devices?" I asked with a bit of sarcasm.  
Jim knew I was joking and laughed. "A floating boat? Why yes." he answered. And indeed he was telling the truth. We happened across a small boat fit for four people. Jim spoke with the (blob) man and showed him an ID. The blob man let us pass and Jim helped me on to the boat. I watched as he flipped a few switches after turning it on. A few hairs on my arms went up as I felt an electrical energy run through me.  
"Did you feel that?" I asked.  
"Feel what?" Jim asked.  
"I felt like electricity." I told him, rubbing my arms up and down.  
"Oh," he said. "I see what you're saying. Electricity?" he asked. "It's normal. I'm so used to it that I hardly notice it anymore."  
There was little talking as we set sell to a small planet near by. "This is Montressor." Jim said. I only nodded and half smiled. The the air on my face and in my hair felt nice and I pretended I was bird flying above Big Ben and when I opened them again I knew I wasn't a bird and I wasn't anywhere near Big Ben. It didn't take long to where we needed to be and when Jim helped off the boat I spotted houses that were laid sprawled out over the land. The grass was green and the air smelled fresher. It sure beat being at the space port.  
"Not much farther now." Jim said and I continued to follow him only this time I was at his side rather than behind.  
"So who am I meeting?" I had to ask.  
"That is a surprise," was all he said.  
Just five minutes later a gorgeous house, no, an inn and the sign in front of it read: Benbow Inn. Was this where Jim lived or the person who he wanted me to meet? I was getting anxious again, and before I knew it I saw a woman step out of the door and wave to us. She was smiling.  
"Jim!" she called out. Is this who he wanted me to meet?  
When we finally came within ear-shot of each other without yelling Jim said, "Briar, I'd like for you to meet my mother, Sarah Hawkins."  
So it was his mother he wanted me to meet. I felt bad for over-thinking. "Nice to meet you, Sarah. I'm Briar, Briar Edwards." I held out my hand to shake hers but she pulled me close and hugged me.  
"Very nice to meet you, Briar." Sarah then went to her son and I watched as she gave him a big kiss on the cheek and a big, long hug. Jim seemed embarrassed and I almost laughed. "Come inside you two. I've made food."  
The inn was neatly decorated with plants and pictures. It wasn't just a regular inn, though, it was a restaurant also. All the tables were clean and the floor was spotless.  
"I closed the inn early today. I had a feeling you would be coming home early."  
"Mom, you didn't have to do that."  
Sarah waved her hand in front of her. "Nonsense! The inn has been doing really well...as always...Besides, I wanted to be prepared for you."  
"I like it," I suddenly, surprising myself by the sudden comment.  
Sarah seemed more than pleased. "Really? Thank you!" We followed her to a near-by table that was stacked with plates and silverware and tall glasses. "You two sit down and I will start bringing the food over. I still have food in the kitchen cooking." she seemed a little rushed now.  
"Mom, sit down. I can take care setting up the table."  
Sarah placed a hand on her hip. "Jim, are you sure?"  
Jim nodded, smiling while rolling his eyes. "Yes, mom. Just check on the food in the kitchen. I know you don't like me touching food you've started on." he half joked.  
Before went off she turned to me and said, "Come with me, Briar, that is if you don't mind."  
"Certainly!" I was more than happy to help with the food and preparing it.  
The kitchen engulfed me even more with the scent of food. I was almost drowning in it. I watched as Sarah put on her oven mittens grabbed out a roast and place it on the stove top.  
"This way," she started. "we can eat for the next couple of days without cooking anything." And she opened the lid and I peered down to see what it was and lo and behold it was a roast. Carrots, potato slices, onions, even some apple slices were also inside cooking with the roast. My mouth was watering. "I guess we'll have an early supper." she said looking at her art work called glorious food. "Step back, please." she warned me and opened the oven again and grabbed out a loaf of bread. I thought I'd get diabetes just smelling all the food. Jim came in then, clearly done with setting up the table. "Jim, will you be a dear and take this roast out to the table?" Jim said nothing, only grabbed another set of over mitts and grabbed the bit pot of food and walked out the door. Sarah then turned to me. "There is a big bowl of fruit in the fridge. Can you grab it and take it to the table, please?"  
"Of course." I said. As Sarah walked out with the bread I opened the door to the fridge. Sarah wasn't kidding when she said big. I saw what looked like watermelon, grapes, apples, oranges and many other fruits I had no idea what was what. Finally, I grabbed it and headed out to meet Sarah and Jim.  
The three of us sat there filling our plates of food and pouring our tall glasses with ice cold water. It was a couple of minutes before anyone said anything. We were all too busy stuffing our faces full of food.  
"So, Briar, tell me a bit about yourself. You're the second girl Jim has brought home. He doesn't bring too many friends over."  
 _Second girl?_ I thought. I became a little heavyhearted after hearing that. "About me?" I wasn't sure what to tell her. I had already told Jim a bit about myself and he knew the truth. I wasn't sure if telling Sarah was a good thing. "I'm from here," I started, hating myself a bit for lying. "but I've been studying abroad for many years."  
Sarah seemed pleased. "Oh, look at that. A scholar!" I nodded and smiled. I was glad someone noticed. "You will have to introduce me to your family sometime."  
"I don't think that's possible." I said quietly.  
"Why not?" she asked.  
I paused for a second. "My family is gone."  
Sarah was worried now and she placed her silverware down. "Gone?"  
"Deceased..." I told her. I forced myself to stop looking at her face which now pitied me and I turned towards Jim. A somber expression laid across his face. I then looked down at my food and noticed that my spoon was moving all on its own. I gasped and jumped back in my chair a bit when I watched my spoon turn into a pink blob.  
"Morph?!" Jim yelled. He was just as surprised. "Where have you been the last couple of days?" The pink blob called Morph floated over to Jim and cooed, rubbing up against his cheek.  
"What is that?" I asked.  
"This is morph. He's a strange fella, but he means well...even if it doesn't always seem that way. He can change himself into anything he has seen before. That's why we call him morph. No one really knows for sure what he is." He then paused. "Where is Ben?" he turned to his mother.  
"Oh, Ben? I sent him to buy supplies. He's been doing good on his own these days." she reassured Jim.  
"Ben?" I asked.  
Sarah looked at me and grinned. "You'll see."  
Later, after we had our early supper and cleaned everything up Sarah showed me to my room. "You can sleep here. Feel free to make yourself at home. I bet you'll be staying with us for a while."  
"You don't mind?" I asked.  
Sarah shook her head. "Not at all, Briar. It will be nice having another girl around when Jim leaves to make runs on his ship."  
"How often is that?" I was curious to know.  
Sarah shook her head and sighed. "Too often." she looked at my bag and said, "I'll leave you to unpack. You must also want some privacy." And with that she closed the door. I looked around the room and saw a twin size bed next to a window. The window was open a crack so the curtains floated up and down by the breeze. Some blank papers on a desk flipped up also but were unable to move because of the shiny rock that was being used as a paper weight. A small light blue rug lay in the middle of the room and a closet stood opposite of the bed. I went to open it and saw that it as empty. No surprise there. I closed it then and flung my bag on the bed and sat down, sighing. I was tired from all the walking. I hadn't done that much walking being on the boat, even if it was huge. Still, it was nice getting out and being on solid land for once. I scooted on the bed then and parted the curtains to look outside. I saw the back of the inn. There was a flower and vegetable garden, a pond and a gazebo, too. _So peaceful,_ I thought. Just then I saw Jim walking out with his mother. They were talking but I couldn't hear anything that they were saying. A thought suddenly occurred to me then: where was Jim's father? They hadn't said one word about him. Maybe he passed away like my mother did? I wasn't ever going to bring it up, though. Not unless one of them or someone else did. For now I was going to enjoy this moment.


	9. New Faces

I woke up the next morning smelling the faint scent of breakfast. It was a cluster of eggs and bacon and pancakes; I smelt sausage and biscuits with gravy and many other combinations of food. And then I remembered I wasn't on the ship anymore. I sat up without the worry of having to get a ship ready for the day. I stretched, feeling good and walked over to a small mirror on the wall and checked my face. I had dirt spots all over my face and suddenly felt embarrassed for having met Jim's mother like this. I had to find a bathroom and make sure I was presentable enough for the world.  
The bathroom was just right across the hall from the room I was staying in. In front of me, though, was a small stack of clean clothes. I picked them up and headed straight to the bathroom. I managed to find a towel and decided just to take a bath and wash all the grub off of me. With the clean clothes that Sarah most definitely left for me I wasn't going to pass up this offer of becoming squeaky clean again. The sound of the water coming out of the bath faucet was so refreshing to hear. For the longest time I had just rinsed off with a wet rag and some soap. Jim had offered me his bathroom on the ship, but I could never bring myself to use it. And of course there were showers on the ship for the crew to use but it was hard enough finding time to yourself, let alone showering by yourself. I had only used the shower on the ship twice...but that was twice too little for my taste.  
Once I finished showering I headed down stairs to find a swarm of people in the main area. All tables were used up and Sarah was running around like crazy feeding everyone. This was an inn so I shouldn't be surprised, but the fact that she was doing this all by herself was astonishing. Suddenly, a robot came bursting out from the kitchen door with plates and lines stacked in a line, balancing on his robotic arms. He placed the plates of food on the tables in front of everyone while Sarah refilled their drinks. Everyone seemed to know one another and the inn proved to be a friendly environment. Once tending to her customers Sarah spotted me from across the room and waved me over.  
"Good morning, Briar. I hope you slept well."  
"I slept great, thank you!" She handed me a plate of breakfast.  
"I don't know what you like, so I just put a little bit of everything on there for you." My plate was filled with pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage gravy and fluffy biscuits. "If you are still hungry after that, there is pudding and fruit and some vegetables in the fridge in the kitchen." she told me.  
"This will be plenty." I assured her. My only concern was finding a place to sit and it seemed my thoughts were answered when I felt a tug on my arm. I looked down to see a little boy, but it wasn't just any little boy, he appeared to be some kind of dog-boy. "Oh! Hi..." I said.  
"Come sit with us." he told me.  
"Us?" I asked and I saw him point to a near-by table. It seemed as though the rest of his family was there with an exception of an extra seat. I slowly walked up to the table while the little boy ran to sit next to his father.  
The little boys father was also a dog, but when I looked around the table I noticed that the mother was a cat (a very sophisticated looking cat lady) and three young cat girls. They all seemed to be around the ages of eleven or twelve.  
"Well now," started the dog father. "It's nice to meet you. Sarah has already told us about your arrival."  
"Stop it, Dilbert. Don't scare the poor child." The cat lady said, taking a sip of her cream tea while she nibbled on a jelly scone. "Excuse us. My name is Amelia and this here is my husband, Dilbert."  
I hid a grin. "Nice to meet you, Amelia, Dilbert." I looked at both of them.  
"My name Dilbert Jr." said the boy.  
"And my name is Elizabeth." said one of the three cat girls. "These are my younger sisters, Rose and Camellia. I'm the oldest." she told me proud.  
"By two minutes!" scoffed Rose.  
"Five minutes for me." Continued Camellia."  
"And six minutes older than me." finished Dilbert Jr.  
"Finish your breakfast, children." Amelia said.  
I enjoyed sitting with the family, listening to them talk. It was enjoyable and laughable. I learned how much of a goof Dilbert was and how fascinating Amelia was. No doubt their children would grow up never having to experience a dull moment. Talking with these people had taught me many things already. I had grown up looking at dogs and cats at house pets and seeing lizards as something I see at a zoo, but here I was having full conversations with them. They were no longer house pets or zoo animals; they all talked and walked among us. What kind of world was I living in?  
After breakfast and everyone had left the inn I helped Sarah clean the place up. It went from all this chit-chat to constant running water to clean the dishes. I managed to fit in a word or two (and by that I mean he wouldn't stop talking) Ben the talking robot...who seemed to have a mind of his own. I was having fun talking with everyone, there was just one problem: where was Jim? I hadn't seen him all morning and finally, after finishing the dishes I turned to Sarah and asked her.  
"Jim," she said. "I haven't seen him either. I doubt he's still sleeping." she sighed then and smiled. "I have no doubt that he is off somewhere flying his solar surfer."  
"Solar surfer?" I asked, curious now.  
Sarah chuckled a bit. "Oh, Jim can tell you all about it. No point in trying to find him. I'm sure he's off somewhere in the sky." she was about to talk more about it but stopped herself short and gasped. "I need more flower to make bread. If I don't get it now we may run out tomorrow...and that's no good. Come with me to the market. It will be good for you, I think." she then looked to Ben. "Ben, will you watch the inn while Briar and I are out? We won't be long."  
"NO PROBLEM, SARAH." he said loudly.

The market was bustling with people of all races. There were more lizards and blob men and woman and felines and other sorts than there were humans. I felt a little out of place, but then I looked to Sarah and how casual she was talking to everyone and I eventually lightened up and talked with a few people myself. Sarah was right, getting out was the best thing for me. After all that time of being on the ship and having the time to get used to the fact that there were more than just humans walking around, it still took me by surprise at times.  
When Sarah grabbed her bag of flower I was stopped by the sight of a certain store. It was a book store and my eyes caught the most wondrous sight: an alchemy book! My face and hands were glued to the store window as I gazed down at it, wanting it.  
"Something catch you eye?" Sarah asked, coming up from behind me and catching me off guard.  
I turned around a bit spooked. "Yes," I said. "An alchemy book. Do you know anything about alchemy, Sarah?" I asked her.  
She shook her head. "Hardly. I've learned to stay away from it."  
Shocked by her answer, I asked, "Why?"  
"Even if I was interested in something like this I'd have a really had time trying to understand it, so I just leave it alone." I felt as though she was holding back her reasons but I was fine with what she told me. "Let's head back now. I'm worried about Ben."  
Before we could go any further though, we were stopped by who looked be a navy commander. She was wearing a very fashionable white jacket with gold rims and black buttons. Her white pants were neatly pressed, too. The only dirty thing on her seemed to be a speck of dirt on her black shoes.  
"Miss Hawkins, it's nice to see you again." she said politely.  
"Kate!" Sarah was joyfully surprised.  
Kate then looked to me. "Hello there, miss. Who might you be?"  
"My name is Briar. Briar Edwards." I told her and I held out my hand. She took it, shaking it well.  
"Nice to be acquainted with you, Briar Edwards." Kate looked back to Sarah and said, "I hope you're doing well."  
"I am, thank you. I hope the same for you too." she then asked, "Everything alright?"  
Kate paused for a moment and stepped in closer. "Word is that Stickler is on the move again. My crew and I have been up day and night searching for him."  
"So has Jim." Sarah commented.  
Kate seemed taken back from the mention of Jim. "Jim? How is he doing? I haven't seen him for a long time."  
"Just be extra careful. You still running the inn I take it?" Sarah nodded. "Good to hear. Keep a watchful eye out, Miss Hawkins." Sarah nodded. "I best be going now. It was good to see you again. Good-bye." She nodded to Sarah and then me before leaving.  
As the two of us were on our way again to the inn I asked, "Who was that?"  
"Kate?" said Sarah. "She's Admirals Blake's daughter. He is the commander of the Navy."  
"She looks like a commanders daughter, that's for sure." I stated.  
Sarah chuckled a little under her breath. "She and Jim...uh...they dated for some time and then one day they just broke it off."  
"Pity," I said, not feeling very sorry for Kate for my own selfish reasons. When Kate was out of sight and Sarah started to walk again I took one last look at the alchemy book. I wanted it bad but I had no money for it and I certainly wasn't going to ask someone else to buy it for me. And then from the corner of my eye I noticed a figure standing in the shadows of the alley. _Stickler?_ I stood frozen with fear until Sarah called out my name and I hurried over to her, happy to be surrounded by so many people.

When we reached the inn again I saw that Jim was finally back. Sarah was right, he was on his solar surfer.  
"Go see what Jim is up to. Maybe he can teach you a thing or two about solar surfing?" Sarah and I parted ways then as she walked inside the inn and I made my way down a dirt path to the back of the inn where Jim was.  
"Hiya, stranger." I said walking up to him.  
Jim turned around, a little surprised. He was hard work with whatever it was he was doing with his solar surfer. "Briar," he did a double take at me. "Nice dress." he commented.  
I looked down at the dress that Sarah had left out for me. The dark blue complemented my creamy white skin. "Oh, thanks." I said shyly. "So what's this?" I asked kneeling down next to him.  
"A solar surfer. Have you really never seen one before?" I shook my head. "Really?" Jim was surprised, but then he got a look on his face as if remembering that I'm definitely not from around here. "I'll have to take you on a ride some time."  
"Why not now?" I said.  
He laughed. "Maybe after lunch. I didn't have much for breakfast and I'm starved." he got up then and brushed off his pants.  
"Jim, there is something I have to tell you." I started.  
Jim looked down at me, clearly a head taller than me. "What is it? Something bothering you?"  
I hesitated for a moment but then I knew I had to tell him. "I think I saw Stickler."  
The look on Jim's face went from worried to serious. "You think you saw him, or you know you saw him?"  
"I don't know. I think so? He was standing in the shadows of an alley. I got a really bad feeling about this, Jim? What should we do?"  
"We?" he said. "You don't have to do anything, Briar. You're not held accountable for him and you're not part of the Navy, so don't worry."  
I took a breath, trying to recollect myself. "But I am worried. How can I not be?"  
"I'll report this to the Navy right now."  
"What about your mom? What should I tell her?" I asked.  
Jim held a finger up to my lips. "Don't mention this to anyone, especially my mom. She has enough to deal with. Please? Can you do that for me?"  
I nodded with Jim's finger still pressed against my lips. "I promise," I told him, moving his hand away.  
He smiled then. "Good. Thank you, Briar. Word will get out eventually, but until we know for sure if it was him I don't want getting people all worked up. Thank you for tell me." I only nodded to him as I watched him go. I wasn't going to be going on any solar surfer today...


	10. Lucard And Maria

I had been living on Montressor for two weeks now. I hardly saw Jim; everyone was so busy with news about Stickler being in town. Yes, word eventually got out and it wasn't because of me. Apparently a few others had seen him too, but no real evidence was ever found.  
I spent most of my days at the inn helping Sarah. When I wasn't doing that I was either keeping myself cooped up in my room reading or taking a walk. Montressor was pretty safe for the most part. With all the robotic men hovering over everyone's head it was hard for any real crime to happen.  
Today, though, it was sunny and I took this opportunity to take a walk into town. The market was busy as usual and I continued to be fascinated by everything the merchants were selling. Of course I had no money to buy anything, and that alchemy book was still sitting in the window of that book store, taunting me.  
Wait a minute, I thought. Where was the book? That damn book was gone! I ran into the book store in a hurry and looked on the shelf I had last seen it on. I scanned it high and low, moving other books aside to see if it might have been misplaced. I found nothing.  
I began my search then. I checked every shelf high and low and found nothing. I was devastated!  
I had wanted that book to mine...and it was gone. Some idiot had taken it from me. I sighed then. At least I still had my old one.

I walked out of the store with my head down feeling defeated.  
Just then, someone bumped into me, knocking me over and I was forced to look up. A kid about sixteen stood a few inches taller than me stood in my way. He had dark brown hair blue eyes. His skin was a little tan from getting too much sun and he wore a neatly pressed school uniform with the words Space Academy embroidered on it. It was obvious he was a student there.  
"Oh, I'm so sorry, miss. Here, let me help you up." He offered me his hand and I took it slowly. The poor kid looked nervous now.  
It then dawned on me that this kid was a human. I almost screamed I was so excited, but I remained calm. "It's fine," I told him. "I've got some extra cushion in the back to help soften my falls." I joked.  
Just when I thought he wasn't going to understand my joke he started laughing. "That's funny." He smiled.  
I looked over his shoulder then and saw a girl running up to us wearing the same uniform. She was human too.  
"Lucard! Don't run off like that! It's so hard keeping up with you." She took a few deep breathes. Her long blonde hair was done up in a ponytail and her green eyes looked friendly. She then saw me and gasped. "Oh!"  
Oh? I thought. What was so interesting?  
She laughed nervously. "Hi," she said to me. "Did my friend do something silly again?" she giggled nervously.  
I raised a brow. This had officially been one of the weirdest days for me here yet. "No," I told her. "Your friend is fine."  
She said nothing more about it and pushed her friend to the side to get closer to me. She held her hand out. "My name is Maria."  
"And my name is Lucard." Said the boy.  
I shook both of their hands. "Nice to meet you, Lucard, Maria. My name is Briar."  
"I'm sorry about knocking you over." Lucard said.  
I waved a dismissive hand. "Don't worry about it. I should look where I'm going."  
He laughed again. I didn't think I was being funny, but oh well.  
"Where are you headed off to?" He asked me.  
I shrugged. "No where. I just wanted to stretch my legs."  
Lucard nodded to this. "Same for us, well sort of."  
"We're on our way to the academy. We just started." Maria's eyes beamed with delight.  
"We're hoping to be a part of Captain James Hawkins crew when we graduate." Lucard looked so hopeful.  
Ah, I thought. To be that young again and so determined. What was I thinking? I was only twenty-three!  
Maria grabbed Lucard's hand. "We should get going. We don't want to be late, now do we?" She said, dragging him away.  
But Lucard seemed reluctant to leave. "Ah wait," he said. "Briar, right? I hope we see each other again. Bye!"  
What a weird boy, I thought.  
I rested my hands on my hips, looking this way and that. It was time to head back. I had had my share of walking and running into strange people. Still, I was glad to see other humans. It made me not feel so lonely in the world.

When I returned to the inn all of the customers were gone and Sarah was in her garden harvesting some vegetables. She looked busy so I didn't bother her and went inside. There I saw Jim sitting at the table farthest across the room. It was near a window and he flipped a switch on the holoblinds to view an ocean scenery.  
"That looks pretty." I said taking a seat across from him.  
He looked surprised to see me. "Huh? Oh, yeah. The holoblinds have always been a nice touch to the inn." He looked tired as he stared into his cup of coffee.  
I felt bad for me and I was hoping I wasn't bothering him. "How is everything?" I asked him.  
Jim took a drink from his coffee before answering me. He sighed. "Busy as all hell." He told me. "A new semester at the academy is about to start. When those students graduate all the major captains, including myself, must take on three new students and test them on their first voyage."  
I smiled a little, trying to lighten the mood. "That sounds exciting." I told him. So those kids I saw earlier were talking about this, I thought to myself.  
This time Jim laughed a little. "You would think so, huh?"  
"Is it not then?" I asked.  
"It can be, don't get me wrong, but with all this news about Stickler, I don't think its a good idea to let those kids be out in space." He had a point.  
"Maybe Stickler will be caught by then..." I said.  
Jim finished the last of his coffee. "Let's hope." He looked directly at me now. "I'm glad you're here, Briar."  
I felt my face getting warm. "T-thanks. I'm glad I'm here, too."  
"It's too bad once the semester ends. I'll be gone for six months."  
"Six months?!" I said that louder than I should have, surprising myself. "That long?" I asked, calming down.  
Jim smirked and nodded. "Yeah, that long. I know my mom will miss me."  
I'll miss you, too, I thought.  
Sarah walked through the door then and that's when Jim stood up. He walked over to her, taking the basket of vegetables and kissed her forehead. "I'll wash and cut up the vegetables." He told her and vanished behind the kitchen door.  
Sarah wiped her face with a handkerchief and sat in Jim's spot. "How was your walk?" she asked me.  
"Oh, it was fine." I felt bad for leaving her to do all the work. "Is there anything I can do to help?" I wanted to make it up to her.  
Sarah seemed pleasantly surprised. "Oh, well only if you want to."  
I nodded, eager to help out.  
She chuckled softly. "Alright then. Why not help Jim in the kitchen? I'm sure he can find something for you to do."

I was more than happy to follow after Jim. "Anything I can help with?" I asked.  
Jim smiled, glad to see me back here. "Yeah, why don't you start peeling these potatoes. When I finish rising them I'll help you peel the rest. Sound good?"  
I nodded and grabbed my first potato.  
We stood side-by-side, prepping our food for supper. It felt nice being so close to him. The silence didn't bother me at all. I enjoyed our quiet moment together.  
Maybe I can join the academy, too. I wondered this quietly to myself. Would such a thing be possible? Would I be too old to join? It never hurt to ask, and besides, I didn't want to be away from Jim for six months. That was too long. And for the first time the thought of earth and alchemy, Stickler and all that applied, left my mind. For that moment I was only thinking about spending time with the captain.


	11. Convincing Captain Amelia

Jim was gone again, as luck would have it.  
One of Stickler's men was caught just the other day and I could only imagine what they were doing to him to get information. I grimaced as the thought of torture came to mind. If they were doing anything like they did in Hollywood movies, I'd almost feel sorry for the sucker. But I didn't care to find out.  
For the time being I was with Sarah cleaning up the inn. Lunch was over and the last customer for the day was just leaving-or so I thought.  
"Welcome!" Sarah's voice beamed with delight. Another customer meant more money.  
I almost groaned as I heard her welcome them inside, but when I turned around I thought otherwise about making any noise. There standing about ten feet from me were Lucard and Maria. It had been three days since I last saw them.  
"Take a seat right over here." Sarah led them to a clean table. She then walked up to me. "Briar, will you take their order? I'll take these dishes." She took the dishes resting in my hands and walked to the kitchen, door swinging behind her.  
I grabbed my pen and pad as I was not used to the menu yet and had a hard time remember what was what. I set two menu's down in front of them. "Can I get you anything to drink?" I felt really awkward all of a sudden.  
Lucard and Maria smiled at me.  
"Oh, Briar! It's nice to see you." Lucard slid his menu closer to him. I was surprised he still remembered my name. "I'll have coffee." He opened his menu and scanned over what he might like to eat.  
I jolted down his drink and looked to Maria. "And for you?"  
Maria chuckled. "Oh, I'll just have some green tea."  
"Great. A coffee and a green tea. I'll get that for you right away." I walked to the kitchen where I saw Sarah washing the remaining dishes. I quickly poured their drinks and brought it to them without spilling. "Have we decided what we want to eat?" I asked.  
Lucard scanned the menu further. "Do you not have peach dumplings?"  
I shook my head. "No, sorry." If we had something like that I would remember. I loved dumplings; so did my stomach and butt apparently.  
"Well," said Lucard. "I must be thinking of something else then. Ah hah! I'll have the chicken pot pie." He slid his menu towards me.  
"I'll have the same, too." Said Maria.  
"Awesome! Two chicken pot pies. Coming right up, you guys." You guys? I thought. What the heck was I thinking? As I grabbed their menus I tried not to let the look of embarrassment cloud over my face.  
Lucard laughed. "I may not know you very well, Briar, but you seem like a funny person."  
Funny or stupid? Because you have no idea, kid. That's what I wanted to say to him, but I kept my mouth shut.

I walked back to the kitchen and helped Sarah make the two pies. Everyday I was learning something new, whether it was in the garden, cooking, cleaning, or just simply how to do my job better. Not to mention the multiple languages I heard in a day; none of which I was familiar with. Aside from English I knew a bit of Spanish and Italian, and I had yet to hear anyone speak those.  
"Here," said Sarah sliding the two pot pies on the counter. "Take these out and I'll finish cleaning the last of the dishes. When our customers finish eating be sure to clean those plates, too. I'll be heading upstairs soon to enjoy the rest of my day."  
I nodded and took the pot pies. Lucard and Maria seemed to have been having an interesting conversation as I walked out and stopped as soon as they saw me. "Enjoy." I set their food down in front of them. "Can I get you more to drink?"  
They both shook their heads.  
I nodded, feeling like I did a good job. "Okay. I'll be back in a few minutes if you need anything." I turned my heel but Lucard called for me to stop, so I turned back around. "Yes?" Maybe he changed his mind?  
"Will you join us?" He asked.  
I was taken aback by his offer, but I didn't want to be rude so I pulled up a chair.  
Maria took a bite of her pie. "This is really good!"  
I smiled, happy to hear such a nice complement seeing as I was the one to make her pie. "Thank you."  
"Are you the Inn Keepers daughter?" Maria asked.  
I raised both my brows, surprised and slightly amused. Lucard on the other hand nearly choked on his food. "No, I'm not." I looked to Lucard. "Are you going to be okay?"  
Lucard took a drink of his coffee. "Yeah, I'll be fine."  
Maria took another bite and swallowed before asking another question. "Do you live here at the inn then? Since you work here I figured..." Her voiced trailed off. I assumed she didn't want to say anymore in fear of asking another question that would result in Lucard choking to death.  
"Yeah, I do. I haven't for very long, though. You see, I'm new here, just like you guys." I told them.  
"Do you like it so far?" Lucard asked.  
I nodded. "Yeah, I do. Do you?"  
Lucard and Maria both nodded.  
To change the topic Lucard said, "I heard the food here is really good. I'm not disappointed."  
I smiled. "Good,"  
"It's a shame we won't be able to come back for a while after today." Maria said.  
"Why is that?" I asked.  
Maria was nearly done with her food when she started to explain herself. "The academy starts in three days. That's clear on the other side of Montressor. I fear Lucard and I won't have much free time to do much of anything, let alone take the time to come all the way out here." She seemed really disapointed and so did Lucard. I didn't think the food was that good.  
Of course, I knew that wasn't the problem and that there was something else bothering them. "I heard once you graduate you are chosen by one of the captains and taken on a six month long voyage. That sounds fun!" I tried to lighten the mood, although, I wasn't all too happy myself seeing as Jim would be gone, too.  
Lucard suddenly beamed with delight. "You should sign up!"  
I made a face at him. "What?"  
"Anyone can join. I don't think it matters how old you are, as long as you have what it takes!" This kid was totally serious about me signing up.  
I looked to Maria for some answers.  
She just smiled nervously at me. "Its true." She told me.  
I sighed, closing my eyes for a moment before looking at Lucard. "Look," I said. "I'm not exactly pirate fighting material. And even if I was I have no idea how to sign up or where to go for that sort of thing."  
Lucard laughed, as if what I was saying was somewhat amusing and the answer was a no-brainer. "You can talk to Captain Amelia."  
Amelia, I thought. I met her my first day here, along with her kids and husband. "Right. I don't know where she lives."  
Lucard started naming off streets and what buses and trolley's to take and I held my hands up to make him stop. I wasn't really familiar with most of Montessor yet. He apologized. "I'm just excited is all." He told me. "You can ask Sarah how to get there, or she can take you there."  
The next two days the inn would be closed so going to see Amelia was possible. "Wait," I said. "How do you know Sarah's name?"  
Lucard's face flushed a light pink. "Uh, you said it earlier."  
I thought for a moment. "No, I didn't."  
Lucard nodded. "Yeah, I remember you said her name."  
I was certain I didn't. "Right," I said slowly.  
"Anyway," said Maria standing now. "I think you should give it a try, Briar. But only if that is something you really want to do." She looked to Lucard. "We should get going, don't you think?"  
Lucard took his last bite and chewed it quickly and then stood up to brush the crumbs off his pants. "Thanks for the pie, Briar. And like Maria said, you should give it a try."  
I watched the two walked out and I was left clean up the mess.

The next day I spoke with Sarah about joining the academy. To my surprise she said it was a good idea and that it would be good for me. She still had no idea about my situation and perhaps that was for the best.  
We were coming up on Captain Amelia and Dilbert's home as I was lost in thought about my dad. I wondered if he was okay, and if he had already passed on from this life I hoped it was a painless death and that he managed to find peace after my disappearance.  
As I looked up at the mansion all previous thoughts left my mind. I was in awe as Sarah stopped the carriage. "Let's not dilly dally." Said Sarah as she got off. I soon followed after and stood behind her as she knocked on the large door.  
One of the children, Elizabeth, opened the door. She gave us a bright smile. "Sarah!" She held the door open for us.  
"Where is your mother, dear. I need to speak with her."  
"You're in luck! Mother is in her office. She's getting things ready to leave for the academy tomorrow." She led us up a flight of stairs and down three different hallways before stopping in front of an oak door. She knocked loudly three times.  
"Come in!" I heard a British voice.  
Elizabeth opened the door and stood to the side to let us in. "Have fun!" She giggled and closed the door behind us, leaving us with her mother.  
Amelia looked up from the stack of papers on her desk. "Oh! Mrs. Hawkins. I wasn't expecting to see you here. What do I for you?" She offered us a seat. She looked at me. "Briar Edwards, correct?" I nodded. "Ah, I've heard a bit about you from Jim since last we saw each other."  
I felt my face get warm. Jim talked about me? I was really happy to hear that. "Yeah, that's me." I gave her a lazy wave and laughed nervously.  
Amelia rested her arms on the desk and clasped her hands. "I'm guessing you are the one with the questions and not Sarah?"  
I nodded. "Yes, mam."  
Amelia gave me a small smile. "Ask away. I have some time."  
"I want to join the Space Academy." There was no sense in beating around the bush, so I got straight to the point.  
Amelia looked to Sarah and then back at me. "You are sure?"  
"Yes,"  
Amelia sat in her chair a little straighter now. "Why?"  
Crap. I didn't I would get this far so I never came up with an answer. I tried to think as quickly as possible. "I think its something I would really like."  
Amelia chuckled softly. "My dear Miss Edwards, joining the Space Academy is not something to be seen as having fun."  
"I didn't say that...er...I didn't mean that."  
"Then what did you mean?" her eyes narrowed a bit.  
"Before Jim found me I was on a ship with pirates, although, they seemed like a decent bunch to me." I coughed and cleared my throat. "However, before that I ran into Stickler. He almost killed me. I want to join the academy so I can put bad pirates to justice." I nearly surprised myself. I didn't think I had that in me.  
Amelia scoffed. "As if there are good pirates out there..."  
I looked to Sarah for some help but she gave me a look, telling me I had to do this on my own.  
"There is more to the academy than just hunting down pirates and killing them. You protect people not only space but on planets as well. You must work hard every day. A day off is never certain, as you can see how busy Jim has been. There is a lot of responsibility." There was a small pause. "If you are serious about joining up, convince me otherwise."  
I looked down at my hands resting on my lap. They were shaking slightly out of nervousness, and they were sweating. I knew there was a chance that I would never make it back home, that I would never see my dad, So I had to have more of a reason to join than just for the sake of being closer to Jim. I looked up at Amelia and said, "The truth is: I don't have a home to go back to. And eve though I enjoy helping Mrs. Hawkins at the inn, Id like to do more, and not just for myself but for her too. I'd like to pay her back for taking me in. That goes for anyone who has shown me kindness since being here." I thought about Silver and wondered if he was still alive. "And besides all that, doing this will give me a purpose in life. I want to make something out of myself." I took a breath, finished with explaining myself and hoping Amelia would understand.

Just as Amelia was about to answer me a voice came out of what looked like microphone in the wall. "Amelia dear." It was Dilbert. "Have you seen my pen?"  
Amelia sighed and turned her head in the direction of the microphone. "You mean the one with the laser? Yes, it's sitting on my desk. Why?"  
There was a small pause. "C-could you bring it down to me?"  
"Can you get you it yourself? I'm rather busy at the moment."  
Another small pause. "I'm slightly incapable as of right now...please, Amelia?"  
Amelia and sighed, smiling. "Of course, dear. Wait one moment." She stood up, grabbing the pen. "Feel like going for a walk?" She asked us.

We followed Amelia down the hall and spiral staircase before reaching a door. When she opened it for us we were met by a large circular room. The wallpaper was red and gold and the sun shined in through the giant windows. Tables were cluttered, maps and paintings of relatives hung on the wall, and high above, close to the ceiling was balcony with a giant telescope. I was in love with this room.  
"Dilbert, what on this grey and blue planet are you doing now?" She set the pen down on one of his tables.  
Dilbert's feet were sticking out from under a large oval shaped device. He wiggled his way out from under it and jumped up to greet us, greasy stained face and all. "Ah! We have visitors!" He welcomed Sarah and me. "Why don't you two come out as well."  
Dilbert's son came out next and he too was dirty, but he didn't seemed bothered by in the slightest. Amelia, however, did not look pleased. And then, the last to show his face, was Jim. Surprised by his sudden appearance I found myself running my hands through my hair to make sure it looked nice.  
"Oh, hi mom, Briar. Why are you two here?"  
"They came to see me." Said Amelia.  
"Well now," said Dilbert. "What seems to be the occasion?"  
Amelia glanced at me and then looked to her husband and then at Jim. "Briar would like to join the Space Academy, which I have said yes to to her joining."  
I beamed at her, utterly shocked. "Really?!"  
Sarah held back a chuckle.  
Amelia smiled at me. "Yes. Now I know there is paper work to be done before this happens, but this is something I have agreed to and something tells me that she has the skills for this."  
I was so happy! I had a real chance to prove myself worthy and grow closer to Jim.  
Jim walked up to me and patted me on the shoulder. "Congrats, Briar! I'm looking forward to seeing you there."  
I felt my knees getting weak as I was slowly slipping into LaLa Land. Jim was looking forward to it! I tried not to blush too much but it was hard with all the sudden excitement and Jim's words. "Me too." I told him.


	12. Perfect DNA

The paper work for the Academy was done the same day, however, starting the same time as everyone else was a different matter. So while everyone was getting acquainted with the academy and each other I was stuck having to go through a physical first (and I wasnt without one of those annoying patient robes). Thankfully Dilbert was there to draw some blood from me.  
"How long have you been a doctor?" I asked him.  
Dilbert stuck the needle in my arm. "Almost ten years. After my first voyage and the trouble my friends encountered I thought it best to study to become one. I don't regret a single moment of all those late night studies." He smiled a bit as he told me this. "Ah, there we go." He took the needle out and set it on a silver tray and then handed me a cotton ball to apply pressure to the tiny hole. As I held it down he grabbed a thick rubber band and put it over my arm to hold the cotton ball in place. "The female doctor will be in to see you shortly." He stood up and took the silver tray with him.

I waited for about three minutes before the female doctor came in. She looked a like crossbreed of a cat and mouse. I tried not to think about the huge difference between a cat and mouse. She was very pretty though and her name tag read: Pie Monty. I held back a grin as I thought of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.  
"Miss Edwards Briar, yes? Can you stand up for me, please?"  
When I did I was glad to see that she wasn't much taller than me; usually people towered over me.  
"And stand on that scale over there." She pointed without looking as she kept her head down to look at her notes.  
I gulped. I was not prepared to see what I weighed. It wasn't like I was fat, but I wasn't exactly thin either. I was average and little on the short side. As I stepped on the dreaded scale the doctor pressed a bunch of random numbers and moved the metal bar on top back and forth. Finally, everything was in place and she took her pen and jotted information down. "Nearly 60 kilograms and standing at 162.56 centimeters."  
Like I really needed to be reminded that stood at 5ft and 4inches and weighed 132lbs. I sighed.  
The doctor had me do various poses and stretches and even some exercises before laying me on the sanitary paper covered bed. She pressed down on my stomach and other parts of my body and made me take deep breaths. Visiting the doctor hadn't really changed for the last thousand or so years...or so I thought.  
"Stay lying down." She told me and pressed a button on the side of the bed. A glass cage locked me inside. She then turned off the lights in the room and pressed more buttons. My body was then scanned with a green light and then the glass cage glowed a neon blue. My skin appeared to be showing tiny orange, purple, and white dots. And then what looked like pink dust hovered over me.  
Pie Monty gasped.  
"What's the matter?" I asked.  
I could tell that she didn't want to worry me, but the look on her face was that of being utterly shocked (in a good way) and completely confused. When she was done with everything she turned the lights back on and told me to get dressed. She wrote in her note book a few more times before excusing herself from the room.

I got changed quickly, thinking someone would be in here soon to check on me. Instead, I ended up waiting for almost an hour! Was it normal for something like this to take so long?  
Finally, Pie Monty returned only to tell me to gather my things quickly and follow her. That was easy enough seeing as I only had a simple coin pouch. I followed her down the hall thinking I would be leaving soon, but when it came time to turn the usual corner we took a different way. Confused, I asked where we were going but she just told me to keep following. Did I do something wrong? I was getting nervous. Maybe joining the academy was a mistake?  
And then we stopped and Pie Monty opened the door to a large office. She stood to the side and let me through. However, she did not follow me and proceeded to close the door behind me.  
I saw Captain Amelia, Jim's friend Kate, Jim himself and another fellow I had yet to meet, although he had a striking resemblance to Kate and I figured that maybe they were related.  
"Hello, Miss Edwards. I am Admiral Blake." Said the stranger in his deep voice. "I believe you have already met my daughter Kate and of course you know Jim and Amelia." I nodded at this, feeling shy. "Come have a seat."  
I walked carefully to the chair as I did not want to risk tripping over my own two feet because of how anxious I was feeling. "Am I in trouble?"  
Admiral Blake shook his head. "No, not at all."  
I saw that the doctors notes were sitting in front of him.  
"Miss Edwards..."  
"Call me Briar."  
He nodded once and gave me an acknowledging smile. "Of course, Briar." He cleared his throat and looked over the notes for a few seconds before continuing to speak. "Your physical went smoothly." He told me.  
A wave of relief washed over me.  
"However,"  
I raised a brow. "However?"  
"Your DNA is a different matter."  
"What's wrong with it? Am I sick?" My left foot started shaking uncontrollably and I hoped they couldn't tell. I pressed down on my left leg to keep it from moving, but I don't think it helped much.  
"On the contrary." Said Amelia. "You are perfectly healthy."  
"Then what's the problem?" I asked.  
Kate spoke up. "Its the purity in your blood."  
I gave her a confused look. "Purity? What are you talking about?" I felt cold now and goosebumps covered my arms and the back of my neck.  
"We are saying that your blood shows no signs of any other species." Said Jim.  
I stared at him. "And that's...not normal?"  
"Considering the last person to be fully human was nearly nine-hundred years ago, yeah that's not normal."  
"But wait a minute," I said. "You're human."  
"Ninety-eight percent human." He told me. "Somewhere in there a person I'm related to someone who had children with another species, but its so far down the line that's its hard to track exactly who it was. Understand?"  
I nodded weakly. "I guess so..."  
Amelia smiled at me, trying to make me feel better. "Miss Edwar- I mean, Briar, we are happy to have found someone as unique as you. You're special; a beautiful creature in a lonely domain."  
When she said that I guessed she meant that I was like an exotic animal in a foreign land. "Good," I said. "Then there's no trouble." I said it as a matter of fact.  
Admiral Blake sighed. "There is something that puzzles us, though."  
I scrunched my shoulders up in question. "And that would be...?"  
Admiral Blake continued. "There is no one that we can find who might be related to you. The last Edwards to be recorded was a little over two-thousand years ago."  
I was slightly impressed. "You keep records that far back?"  
"We back up records as early as the time of Earth." Explained Jim.  
Oh yeah, I thought. Even Silver knew about Earth and how it had been lost for thousands of years. Of course they would have records that far back. I was stupid.  
"It's time to tell us everything." Said Jim. "Whatever you tell us will stay between us."  
I nodded but I wasn't ready. I should have known that I wouldn't be able to keep this act up forever. "I'm from Earth." I told them.  
Kate sat straighter in her seat. "Come again?"  
"I'm. From. Earth." I said it slower this time.  
Kate said, "That's not possible."  
I almost laughed. "It is if you get sucked up into a time hole thingy while you're in a plane."  
Jim grinned. "Time hole thingy? I like that."  
Amelia hushed him. "Start from the beginning, Briar." She then said to me.

I told the four of them about how I went to school in Europe and I was flying home to America to be with my dad. When they asked about my mom I spoke briefly about her passing. I then proceeded to tell them how I ended up on a planet called Jagerveen and that's when I ran into Stickler, his mean, and even Silver and his group.  
"Wait," said Jim. "You know Silver?"  
Amelia seemed intrigued as well.  
I nodded. "Yes. It's because of him that I survived. He saved me."  
The four of them looked at one another.  
I was hopeful for a moment. "Have you seen him? I'm really worried about him."  
Jim spoke up. "None of us have seen him for years." He thought for a moment. "It almost seems too good to be true that you know him."  
I shrugged. "Know him. Knew him. Whose to say? We were attacked by Stickler and that's when we got separated. He stayed on the ship while I escaped on that boat you found me in. I don't know if he's still alive. I'm sorry."  
"Don't be sorry." Jim's voice was gentle.  
Admiral Blake heaved a heavy sigh. "So, what you are telling us is that you're from the past?"  
I nodded. "Silver told me to never tell anyone, that's why I've kept it a secret...until now. I'm not sure how its possible, but it happened. Please, you've got to believe me." I didn't want them to think I was crazy and stick me in some loony bin.  
"Don't worry," said Jim. "I believe you. I've seen a lot of crazy things in my life and you're the best one so far."  
I blushed and put my head down. "...Thank you, Jim." My foot finally stopped shaking.  
"I believe you, too." Said Amelia. "As long as I'm breathing no one outside of this room will know of your origin."  
I looked up at her and smiled. "Thank you!"

The rest of our conversation went on about how I would enter the academy and which dorm I would be living in for that semester. I should have expected to be staying in dorm. This was something I was used to, and heck, I might even feel "at home".  
As the captains dispersed I left as well, heading back to the main lobby where Sarah was waiting for me.  
"Briar, wait up!"  
I turned around and saw Jim walking up to me. He was carrying with him a dark blue cloth bag in one hand and black leather knee-high boots in his other. "These are for you."  
I took them. "And this would be?"  
Jim smiled at me, although it was more like a "ha-ha" grin. "Your uniform."  
"Oh, well thanks!"  
"I know you wont be starting until the day after tomorrow, but I wanted to give these to you now so you had a chance to try them on."  
I smiled up at him. "I will."  
He leaned in closer to me now and said, "Did Silver look to be in good health?"  
I thought for a moment. "Yeah, he seemed okay. Of course, his cyborg arm and leg gave him trouble from time to time, but he seemed good."  
Jim nodded weakly to this.  
I looked at him, concerned. "Is everything okay?"  
Jim scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, everything's fine. Believe it or not Silver is an old friend of mine. I met him on my very first voyage."  
I smirked. "Amelia says there are no good pirates."  
This made him laugh. "I try not to take Amelia too seriously, then again I can afford to. But don't you go doing the same thing."  
"Gotcha, Mr. Captain!"  
Jim gave me a thoughtful look. "Briar...don't ever change." He squeezed my shoulder softly. "I'll see you at the academy." And then he walked away leaving me speechless yet again.


	13. The Academy

The day had finally come for me to join the academy. I was officially a part of the school and one of its students.  
It was almost six in the morning when I awoke. There was no sense in trying to sleep more; I barely got to sleep last night because I was so excited (and nervous) about today. I washed my face, brushed my teeth and combed my hair before pulling it back with a hair tie; my uniform was neatly pressed. I wore a white long sleeved collared shirt under a heavy dark blue jacket with gold at the rims and gold buttons. My pants were black and clung comfortably to my legs, and my knee high black boots were a perfect fit.  
After ogling over myself in the mirror for a few minutes I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It was time to go; it would take Sarah and I an hour to reach the academy so we had to leave soon.  
A knock sounded on my door. "Briar, Mrs. Hawkins has breakfast ready for you." It was Ben.  
"Okay. I'll be right there." I told him and took one last look at myself, making sure everything was in place. I turned my heel and grabbed my suitcase. It was light; I didn't have much to bring with me because I didn't have much to begin with. All I cared about were my belongings I had with me while on the plane. My old alchemy book sat snugly in between everything. Silver told me to keep it safe, and that's exactly what I was going to do. Bringing it with me to always be in possession was my best option.  
I might have told Jim and the others the truth about myself, but I didn't tell them everything. My little alchemy book would be my secret...at least for a little while longer.

I headed downstairs with my suitcase and sat down at the table where Jim and I once shared a quiet conversation. Sarah placed a plate full of sausage and eggs and toast down in front of me and a tall glass of cold milk.  
"Eat up." She said. "You need your strength today." She joined me at the table with her own plate of food.  
Ben was busy getting things ready to open the inn for breakfast.  
"Will he be okay, serving breakfast on his own, I mean?" I asked Sarah.  
She nodded. "Yes, he'll be fine. He's done this for me in the past. I trust he will do just fine." She took a bite of her eggs. A thoughtful expression played across her face.  
I couldn't help but ask, "What are you thinking about?"  
"Oh...Jim. I remember when he first joined the academy. He was sixteen. And now he's a great captain." Here eyes became watery, but no tears ever dropped.  
"I can tell he's a great captain." I said.  
Sarah cleared her throat. "You said before that Jim rescued you. I knew he found you, but I have yet to hear the full story."  
I took a drink of my milk before answering her. "I was on a ship with pirates, but they weren't all that bad, really. And then we were attacked by Stickler." I paused for a moment. "A friend of mine, Silver, he saved me, helped me escape. I fled the ship on a life boat and just when I was about ready to give up Jim found me. He saved me, too."  
"Ah, yes. Jim has spoken of Silver a few times, but only ever in passing. I feel he really looked up to him...like a father, you know?"  
I nodded.  
"By the way, Briar, if you don't mind me asking...did you have parents before coming here?"  
This caught me off guard. Sarah had never asked me such a personal question before. "I did." I told her honestly. "But my mother passed away from cancer when I was very young. My dad raised me; taught me everything I know; supported me."  
"He sounds like a wonderful father."  
I nodded again, my chest getting tight. "He was...or is...I don't know if he's still around."  
For a while Sarah said nothing in response. And then, "I wish Jim could have had a good father growing up." She said this more to herself than to me.  
I looked up at her from my half eaten plate. "What happened to him?"  
Sarah shrugged. "I don't know. He just up and left one day. That was many years ago. Jim was only eight."  
I set my fork down. "I'm sorry."  
Sarah shook her head. "Don't be. Besides, I doubt Jim would ever tell you this, or how he truly feels about the situation. At least not any time soon."  
"So why did you tell me?"  
She thought for a moment before saying, "I think its important that you know this, just don't say anything to Jim about this. Also, I tell you this so you don't accidentally ask him a touchy question on the subject. He may not look it, but my Jim is soft hearted."  
I smiled, understanding. "I get it." I told her. "You can trust me."

Ben had just finished setting everything up and was about ready to open the inn when he called out to us. "You ladies better get going. You don't want to me late."  
"That's right!" Sarah shot up and grabbed her shawl and hat. "Shall we go?"  
"Y-yeah!" I picked up my suitcase and we left the inn together.

The ride to the academy took us almost an hour. It was just before eight.  
Sarah walked with me into the massive stone and brick building and were stopped by two robot guards.  
"Hault! You are not authorized to enter this building." He held a metal arm out in front of Sarah.  
"Excuse me?" She said.  
"It's okay, uh, officer..." I tried to calm him down, but he was a robot and he had no feelings to be calmed. He was acting the way he was programed.  
The second robot said to me, "You should be heading to class Miss Briar Edwards."  
I furrowed my brows. "How do you know me?"  
"All students of the academy have been acknowledged by law and thus granted access to the grounds of the academy." His robotic voice was just and strictly spoken. I saw his orange eyes scan my face.  
Ah, I thought. These two loser robots have an electronic list of all students built inside their mechanic brain gears. My name must have been added already. "Look," I said, "Mrs. Hawkins is with me. It's totally fine."  
The robot was about to tell me more about how wrong I was when I saw Kate walking down the hall. She was dressed in a white neatly fitted captains uniform; her hair was was done up in a tight bun. "Number three-eighty-six and one-fourty-seven, you may seek business elsewhere." She stood next to us now. "Be on your way and continue to look after the school. Leave these two to me."  
"Understood." They said together.  
I was happy to see them roll away on their motor legs. "Thanks!" I said, turning to Kate.  
Kate crossed her arms. "Don't thank me just yet. You're going to be late on your first day if you don't hurry up." She grabbed my suitcase from me. "You wont need this because you're going straight to your first class." She turned to Sarah.  
"I'm really sorry, Mrs. Hawkins. You should have never had to have put up with those two idiot robots. Sometimes they don't know their place."  
Sarah chuckled softly. "Its fine. I'm used to how arrogant they can be at times."  
Kate sighed. "That's what makes me worried." She looked to me now. "Right. Should we get going?"  
I nodded.  
Sarah said goodbye and I wondered when I would see her next. Soon I hoped.

I followed Kate down the halls of the academy. She walked at a fast pace and I hurried right behind her.  
The academy was decorated with different colored flags and I guessed that I would soon learn the meaning behind them all. Most of the floors were made out of stone, but there were a steps that were made out of light blue, white and grey marbles. Some halls had giant pillars that reminded me of Greek temples and murals were painted on the ceilings and some of the walls. All of them depicted of a battle won against pirates, and all of them beautifully well done. Was this really an academy? Or a castle?  
Finally Kate and I stopped at a closed door.  
Before opening it Kate said to me, "Whatever students you encounter, may they be decent folk, or down right rude...don't let them cloud your judgement of the academy and the things you are capable of accomplishing here."  
"Of course." I said.  
Kate took a breath. "Now, at the end of this class you will receive your text books for this class and the next to come and with that a map of how to get to your next classes and the location of your dorm. Your teachers know you are coming today. That's all I can say for now. Good luck and study hard!" She opened the door and let me in.

Class had yet to begin and I saw other students standing around and talking. There was at least thirty of them. This was small compared to the sizes of classes I attended at university. If this was going to be the size of most of my classes I could only imagine how big the rest of the school was. And to think that at the end of the semester the captains were only able to take on three students each...that wasn't very much. That meant that more than ninty percent of the students would have to stay behind and wait until next year. That also meant there was going to be a challenge at the end in order to prove ourselves.  
I slowly made my way into the room, my hands balled up, sweating as I tried to find a seat. Some of the students glanced at me while others stared me down. But there were a few who waved and smiled. I guess I was already figuring out who I could talk to and who I had to stay away from. Typical.  
"Briar?" I turned around and saw Lucard. "It is you!" He gave me a hug. "Uh, sorry! I'm just excited to see you. I almost didn't recognize you in your uniform."  
I straightened my jacket out from the sudden hug. I wasn't expecting that at all, and honestly, it made me feel a little weird and I hoped that Lucard didn't have a crush on me. Even if I did like younger guys, Lucard was only sixteen, and besides that I only had eyes for Jim. "Oh, hey, Lucard." I chuckled nervously. "What's up?" I bumped his shoulder with my fist.  
He gave me a stupid grin. "The ceiling."  
His lame, yet funny joke surprised me. "Well, you're not wrong." I said to him.  
"Oh! Briar!" Maria came to join us next and with her was someone else.  
A bunny girl with black floppy ears and beady brown eyes nibbled on a carrot. Her hair was long and black and she let it hang loose; her fur was a light chocolate brown color and I was half tempted to reach out and pet her. "Hi," she said.  
"This is Xiao Lynn." Maria said.  
Xiao Lynn said, "Everyone just calls me Lynn, though. My parents are the only ones who call me by my full name." Even her voice was super cute! I wanted to squeal.  
"Hi," I said back to her.

Just at that moment the teacher walked through the door and a loud bell dinged once, then twice and then for a third and final time. "Class is now in session. Everyone take your assigned seats." The teacher was an old frog with tiny grey hairs poking out from the top of his head. He wore a green and black robe with a name tag that read: Bogger. "We have a new student today." He said.  
As he said this I was trying to find an empty seat. Unfortunately there were none open next to Lucard, Maria or even Lynn. "New student come to the front of the class and introduce yourself."  
I gulped. The last time I stood in front of a class of new faces I was in high school. I cleared my throat before speaking. "Hi. My name is Briar Edwards and I'm twenty-three years old. It's nice to meet you."  
"Twenty-three did you say?" Said the teacher. "You look much younger than that."  
Hearing this made me feel more at ease. "T-thanks. May I take a seat now?"  
The teacher nodded. "Of course. There is an open spot right over there."  
As he handed me my text book and some papers with drawings of ships on them I took my seat.  
"I didn't know they let grandma's into the academy." A few students snickered as one girl said this under her breath. She was sitting right behind me and said that comment just loud enough for me to hear it.  
Irritated, I turned around in my seat and said, "And how old are you?" Now that I could get a better look at her she was half human and half bird.  
"Fifteen," she answered me.  
I grinned. "Well then, in eight years you'll be a grandma, too." The students all sniggered at this too.  
The look on her face was priceless. I had the feeling she didn't think I would say anything back in order to stand up for myself. "Whatever." She said.  
"Quiet, please." Said the teacher, and he began his lecture. He spoke of the many different types of air crafts and grand ships and what they all did and who were authorized to fly them. He even got as far as talking about how their engines worked. I was fascinated, and while I flipped through the pages of my thick text book there was even more to learn about. All of it went into major detail.

Before I knew it the bell dinged another three times and I was off to my next class. As I walked out into the hallway, taking out the piece of paper Kate gave me I looked to see where my next class would be. Suddenly, someone ran into me, nearly knocking me over. When I looked to see who it was I saw that bird girl. She was glaring at me but I didn't care.  
"Don't let her get to you." Lynn said walking up to me. She was chewing on the same carrot. Or was it a different one?  
"I've been in her class for the last four years...before we ever started the academy. Her parents are richer than God and she thinks she can get away with anything just because she's the only child."  
This surprised me for I wasn't expecting that to come out of her cute little heart shaped mouth. "Uh, yeah. I'm not too worried about her. If I start letting snooty little teenagers get the best of me I'll never pass the academy." I told her. And God, I thought. I hadn't thought about that dude or dudette in a long time, but maybe Lynn was talking about a different God rather than the ones I was used to hearing about. I didn't feel comfortable asking her.  
"Hey, Briar, what's your next class?" Asked Lucard. Maria was right behind him.  
I scanned my piece of paper again. "Uuuuuuh...History of Crescentia."  
Lucard snapped his fingers. "Darn. I don't have that class."  
"No?" I asked.  
Lucard explained himself. "Students are able to take a test on how much they know to see where their skills are. If they score high enough there are certain classes they don't have to take."  
"Ah, I see."  
Maria started to pull on his sleeve. "Come on, Lucard. We all have places to be. We should all get going."  
I had the feeling that Maria was always looking out for him. Were they sweethearts? I never thought to ask, then again they never made a move on one another. Perhaps they were just good friends.

As the day went on it was finally lunch. I followed a long line of kids and watched how they all stood in front of a medium sized screen. It scanned their faces and told them information about money and some kind of status update and other things. When it came to be my turn I let the screen scan me. I felt the warmth of the ray, which weird-ed me out a little. And then it spoke: Briar Edwards; class Two-A; section thirteen; all grades accounted for; five-thousand escudos. "What?" I said out loud. "Escudos?" That was a Spanish coin. If I remembered correctly, they dated back to the fourteen century. Why were they using them now?  
The screen went blank and someone yelled at me to move forward.  
I grabbed my food try, a feeling of being in high school again was coming back to me. At least the food looked and smelled better than the high school I was used to. And then, just as I was grabbing my food that snooty bird girl cut in front of me. "What the hell?" I said.  
She turned to look at me; a mortified look was plastered on her face. "You can't curse on the grounds of the academy."  
Cool, I thought. So no cursing but people can insult one another? Right, that totally makes sense. "Well, shit, I'm sorry."  
"AH! You did it again!"  
I put a hand to my mouth. "Ooops. Did I really? Damn."  
She huffed at me and turned around. I wasn't going to fight her on cutting me in line because it wasn't worth it.  
During the remainder of my lunch time I sat with Lucard, Maria and Lynn. I was quiet most of the time, but that was okay. I found what they had to say more interesting.

After lunch my next class was on the Etherium and the Forefathers. It sounded interesting enough.  
When I made it to the class I found an empty seat and waited patiently. The classroom wasn't nearly as big as all the others and there were about fifteen students in all, myself included. When the bell dinged again we had yet to meet our teacher. He or she was late by five minutes. Maybe its a turtle, I thought, and he had too much to eat for lunch?  
As that thought passed, our teacher briskly walked into the classroom (a little pink blob following close behind). My mouth dropped a little as I saw Jim. What was he doing here?  
"Good afternoon class. Sorry I'm late."  
"Good afternoon Mr. Hawkins." They said together.  
I couldn't believe my ears or my eyes.  
Jim finally noticed me and smiled. "Briar! I was hoping you would be in my class."  
I pressed my lips together to stop them from curling up into a stupid grin.  
Jim's hair was a slight mess from his rushing to class and he fixed it by running his fingers through his hair. From there class began. "Can anyone tell me what the Forefathers created?" He asked the class. A cat girl sitting next to me raised her hair without hesitation and Jim called upon her. "Yes, D'Claire?"  
"Treasure Planet."  
Jim nodded. "Very good."  
The cat girl named D'Claire smiled sweetly and giggled.  
Oh no, I thought. This little girl has a thing for the captain. Could I blame her though? I liked him too. A lot, in fact. I scratched my head as I tried to get around the realization that Jim was also a captain AND my teacher. I started to get warm. I didn't want to have that student-teacher complex, although the idea did seem pretty hot to me.  
"Now," said Jim, "can anyone tell me what the name etherium derives from?"  
I shot my hand into the air before anyone else could. I remembered Silver telling me in passing that it extracted from the word ether.  
Jim was pleasantly surprised to see me raise my hand. "Yes, Briar?"  
"The word—or rather—the name etherium derives from the word ether, an element which the ancient philosophers conjectured filled the heavens."  
Jim was almost speechless. "Uh...yes. You're absolutely right."  
I smiled at him, feeling very pleased with myself. However, I could feel the stinging eyes of the cat girl. I didn't dare look her way.

When class was over and I was gathering up my things Jim stopped me and pulled me over by his desk. The rest of the kids left and it was just the two of us now.  
"I was very impressed with your answer today, Briar."  
I held my books closer to my chest, afraid he might see just how fast my heart was beating through my clothes. "Thank you." I was feeling shy all of a sudden.  
"I have to ask: how did you know that? Did you read it somewhere before?"  
A somber expression fell over my face. "Silver told me." I then looked at the pink blob that was munching on some candy on his desk. "By the way, what is that?"  
"That's morph. He's a shape shifter and he's very friendly." Jim then leaned back on his desk and crossed his arms. He was more serious now. "I assume he taught you a lot of things?" he said referring to Silver.  
I shrugged. "Not a lot I would say, but enough."  
"Kate and I found him years ago when Iron Beard was at large."  
"Iron Beard?"  
Jim waved a dismissive hand. "A bad pirate long since dead. But the point is: I haven't been able to find him since."  
"Silver is tough." I told him. "There is a part of me that thinks he really could be alive."  
Jim nodded to this. "Yeah, I think so, too." He smiled at me and I smiled back. "You better get going before you're late to your next class."  
"Oh, yeah. Duh. I'll see you later." I started making my way out and stopped at the door. "Jim?" I turned to look at him.  
"Yes?"  
I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out. Just then, the bell for the next class to start dinged. "Ooops. I guess I'm late after all."  
Jim searched the top of his messy desk for a pen and paper and wrote me an excused tarty slip.  
For the briefest moment our fingers touched as I took the slip from him. "Thanks," I turned to walk out but he grabbed my hand and forced me to turn around. "What is it, Jim? Uh, I mean, Mr. Hawkins?"  
I watched him as he continued to stared down at my hand he was still holding, and finally, he spoke. "It does me a lot of good that you're here. I'm glad you decided to join the academy."  
"Really?"  
He nodded and turned his gaze away from hand to look at my face. "Besides Delbert, Amelia and Kate, you're the only other person who has met Silver."  
I didn't know what to say to him. He looked so sad, but at the same time he looked happy too.  
He let go of my hand then. "When we both have some free time I'd like to take you to the city. Perhaps you could tell me about Earth and what it was like to live there?"  
I smiled. "Of course. I would love that."  
"Good. I was hoping you'd say yes." He opened the door for me. "I'll see you tomorrow, Briar."  
I waved him goodbye. "Yeah, see you tomorrow, Mr. Hawkins."  
Jim laughed softly. "You can still call me by my first name when we're alone. And also when we're not at the academy. I'm your friend first. Please, remember that."  
I nodded. "I will. Don't worry." I headed down the hall, my face was burning up. Did the captain just ask me out on a date?! I shook my head. No, of course not. He was my teacher(and friend) and that sort of thing wasn't allowed. Still, it made me really happy and I was in perfect bliss for the rest of the day.


	14. Rules Of The Academy

I had come to find out that the money we were given was our allowance for the week, and if we kept our grades above passing we would be granted money for the following week. However, we were not able to accumulate our money. If what we did not spend in that week it automatically reverted back to five-thousand escudos.  
I also came to learn that they used a completely different calendar. It was a cross between a Roman and Egyptian calendar. While there were three seasons in the Egyptian calendar and 365 days in a year, there were only ten months in the calendar of Romulus, but the weeks lasted eight and sometimes nine days (there were also those who followed a Dreamspell-like calendar. It was nearly the same with the exception of there being three-hundred days rather than two-hundred-ninety). It was all a bit confusing to me but I was trying my best to go with the flow.

As I woke up that morning my pillow was wet with drool. With all of my studies I had been exhausted by the end of the day. I had eight classes in all; some were an hour long while others were only thirty minutes.  
Lucard and Maria had offered to take me to the city to relax and get my mind off of things but I wanted my first time going to be with Jim. I made up excuses that I didn't feel well, or that I had hurt myself during physical fitness and needed to rest (which wasn't always a lie). Or I told them that I had too much to work on and couldn't risk failing my classes. They would always smile and told me that they understood, but I could see in Lucard's eyes that he was always a bit disappointed. Of course I felt bad for doing this, but I didn't know what else to tell them.

After lunch my belly was full of what tasted like Asian BBQ chicken with rice and butter noodles. I sat contented in my seat as I waited for Jim to arrive(he didn't really eat the schools lunches). He was usually late, but I don't think the class minded that extra free time.  
From the corner of my eye I saw some of the students hiding colorful ornaments under their desks. Some had strings, others had hands full of confetti, ready to toss it in the air, and some had toy horns. Had I missed something?  
As I was wondering this Jim rushed into the room and at that moment the students yelled, "SURPRISE!" and threw their confetti, silly string and blew their toy horns. "Happy birthday, Mr. Hawkins!" Jim was officially twenty-seven now.  
Jim stopped abruptly, a smile on his face. "Hey, thanks, guys!" He took a seat at his desk. Morph was there to cheer him on as well.  
"We would have sang to you at lunch but you weren't there." Said one of the students.  
"Ah, sorry about that. I was having lunch with my mom." He explained.  
Sarah...I wondered how she was doing.  
Jim put his feet up on his desk as he normally did and slipped off his jacket. He gave morph some silly string to play with. "No class today. Use this time to study and catch up if you need to." He told us.  
The fact that he said that didn't surprise me. He was a very laid-back teacher and often taught from his desk. He always made jokes and wasn't afraid to mess up from time to time.  
I glad he made this into a study hall. I needed as much time as I could get. These kids grew up knowing this kind of world; they were already familiar with what we were learning about because they had been surrounded by them their whole lives. As for me this: this was all completely knew. I might as well have just been born when it came to figuring out what everything was and how it all worked. In order for me to pass I would have to study three times more than anyone else.  
I had always had a knack for studying, though, and found out ways to memorize things. I was clever that way. I didn't study at one of the top universities in Europe for nothing!

As I was reading up on the Etherium a certain thought crossed my mind: when was my birthday? I had left Europe in the middle of may to be with my dad and then I was taken here. I spent about a month with Silver before Jim found me and was living with Sarah for two months before joining the academy. If I was counting by the days and the months that I was used to, then that meant my birthday was next month! But what day? The days and months were too mixed up with this new calendar. Either way, I would be turning twenty-four in the next few weeks.  
I went back to reading, stealing glances at Jim every once in a while and before I knew it class was over.

By the end of the day I was finishing up with my last class, and by that I mean running. Physical fitness was still a big part of school these days and I hated it. I liked that fact that in college I didn't have to partake in activities such as these. However, that left me easily winded and weak. I wasn't used to running a mile everyday and lifting weights. Thankfully it was a class with all girls, so I didn't have to worry about boys looking at my sweating body. Speaking of which: I was sweating in all the uncomfortable places that I female could body possibly sweat. I felt gross and it didn't help that my legs were chafing; not to mention most of the girls in my class were thin like twigs and hardly sweated at all.  
Maria was usually the one to lead the group while running, although there seemed to be a small competition between her and another.  
Lynn on the other hands was never too far ahead of me. She was short like me (only slightly taller) and wasn't really into competing.  
It also didn't help that we were running outside and the wind forced me back, making it hardly to finish my mile. Also, my hair kept getting in my way. I would have to find a way to keep it out of my face if I didn't want to mess up by misjudging a step or jump.  
When class was over we all made our ways to the locker room. It was a rule that all students, after engaging in physical activity, were strongly informed to shower afterward...in which case...we students didn't have a choice(not that I wouldn't bathe because hey, that's gross). The academy had a certain way they worded things that made it sound nice, but everyone knew that these rules were forced and if you didn't follow them there would be hell to pay. Thus the reason why no one ever questioned them.

I didn't really care to get naked in front of these pretty young girls. Even though only half of them had human features, they were all so confident with the way their bodies looked. I tried not to take notice and kept my head down most of the time and dressed and undressed in a corner. And as I'd make my way to the showers I'd keep a towel around me and only take it off once I closed the shower curtains.  
No one had ever seen me naked (Besides my parents when I was yay big) and during Jr high and high school I always found a way to undress without anyone seeing me. I would have done the same here if not for the teacher blocking the entrance to the showers. It was another one of the many rules of the academy: to make sure that no student was hiding something underneath their clothes or gym bags.

After finishing my shower I put my hair in a ponytail and let my shirt hang loose rather than tucking it in (which was mandatory for all students while classes were in session) and put on a fresh pair of pants. Once everyone had left I stepped on the scale, waiting for an answer most girls dreaded to find out. Instead of being disappointed I smiled. I had lost two lbs. All of my hard work was paying off. Slowly, but surely.  
From there I headed back to my dorm. There was still studying to do and I was hungry. I needed food to help my brain work properly.  
Just as I was a few halls away from my dorm, an arm came around from the back of my neck and rested on my shoulders. "Captain...er...Mr. Hawk-I mean, Jim!"  
Jim laughed at my surprise of seeing him. "Did I scare you?"  
I shook my head. "Not really. I just wasn't expecting to see you."  
"Hmm, isn't that what it means to scare someone? When they least expect you?" He grinned.  
I chuckled nervously as we continued to walk in the fashion with Jim's arm still around me.  
He stopped me suddenly and pulled at my shoulders to face him. "How does this weekend sound about going to the city? I know you probably have a lot to study for, so I'll understand if you don't want to go."  
How could I possibly say no to him? Even if I had a hundred tests to study for I'd risk it all to spend one day with just him. "This weekend? Well, that's tomorrow." I said.  
Jim cocked his head to the side. "Is that a problem?"  
I shook my head again. "No, not at all. Tomorrow works."  
Jim smiled. "Great! Meet me outside the academy in the front around eleven in the morning, that way we can get lunch."  
I nodded. "Okay!"  
He stood up straight and then said, "By the way, be sure to NOT wear your uniform while we're out. That may cause some unwanted rumors."  
I bit my lower lip. "Right, of course." I then added, "Oh, umm. I had no idea today was your birthday. If I did I would have made you something."  
Jim didn't want me apologize though. Instead he said, "Don't worry about it. It's not your fault. And don't feel like you have to get me something."  
"Are you sure?"  
Jim nodded. "Absolutely."  
"Well, still...Happy Birthday!"  
"Thank you." He said. Suddenly, Jim raised his arm and reached toward me. Part of my hair was resting on my shoulder and he moved it back to hang with the rest of my hair. "A ponytail suits you." He said and gave me a small smile. "I'll see you tomorrow. Bye!"  
I waved at him. "Bye!" Only after he disappeared behind the corner did I blush and squeal. He liked my long hair.


	15. A Heavy Heart (Lucard's POV)

I was having that same nightmare again and no matter how much I tried to wake myself from it I had to see it to the very end.  
In my dream I was a little boy again(Maybe five or six). It was dark and cold and there was shouting and guns firing. I couldn't see anything because the person shielding me from seeing any of it was holding me close. This person was my mother, and even though it was just a dream I could still smell the scent of her and feel her warm touch. It was all too real. In fact, it was real. This was a dream from my past.  
I was suddenly snatched away from her safe embrace, and no matter how much I kicked and screamed I couldn't free myself from the monster. My mother cried, reaching out to me and calling my name. She told me she loved me and that she was sorry. But I never once blamed her for what happened, nor my father.  
My father was gone, though, taken from me at the tender age of four. I tried to remember my parents' faces. And just when I thought I could catch a glimpse of what they used to look like, before the monster came, I woke up.

My body was shaking and I was sweating. I had over slept, missing my first class of the day. My dorm roommate was gone and I happy about that. I didn't want him asking me questions. I decided then and there that it was best to stay in all day. My nerves were shot and I couldn't handle talking to anyone at this moment. I even took a shower, trying to wash away the uncomfortable feeling that I couldn't quite put into words. The shower helped but only a little. I couldn't even eat or drink anything. Finally, I pulled out a holo-locket hiding underneath my shirt and opened it. The first scene was me with my parents(I think I was one at the time). And then the scene changed and I was playing with my father; the scene changed again and I saw my parents together. My mother was pregnant and my father held her lovingly.  
More scenes appeared, bringing back bitter-sweet memories. The locket belonged to my mother and I would always treasure it.

All of a sudden someone knocked on the door and I slipped the locket back underneath my shirt. I stood up to answer it and saw Maria.  
Her face instantly fell into a sad frown. "It happened again, didn't it?" She asked me. I slowly nodded. "Can I come in for a second? I have your homework."  
I stood to the side and let her in. She was the only person I trusted to see me this way.  
She set my homework on my dresser and took a seat on my bed. She patted the empty spot next to her. Naturally, I joined her. "Are you going to be okay?" She grabbed my hand and squeezed gently.  
I wanted to say yes, but that would be a lie. "I can't take it anymore." I told her.  
Maria reminded me to stay strong. "You wanted to do this, remember? I'm with you until the very end." And she gave me a small kiss on the cheek. She then asked, "Where is the stone? Is it safe?"  
This time I nodded and patted my chest. "I always have it on me." The stone she was talking about was locked away in tiny bottle and attached to a silver chain around my neck.  
"Don't worry," she told me. "Everything will be fine. As long as we keep a low profile no one will suspect anything."  
"What if we can't prevent what's going to happen? What if we can't change the outcome of the future and I lose everything...again."  
Maria rubbed my back. "We won't let that happen."  
I buried my face in my hands. I could feel the tears coming. "I don't want them to die. I need them."  
It was quiet for a moment.  
"Maybe if you studied it would take your mind off it?" Maria suggested.  
I laughed a little at this even though it was in no way amusing, I couldn't help myself. I was loosing it. "Like I need to study. I've already been through this. We both have."  
Maria sighed sadly. I know she was only trying to help. That's all she had been doing since we got here.  
I removed my hands from covering my face and clasped them. "You know, I was so happy when I saw her. Even though she has no idea who I am, I'm so grateful to be able to talk to her...and to him, too."  
Maria then asked, "Is it strange...seeing them?"  
I shook my head. "No, not really.  
Maria finally stood up and straightened out her shirt. "I better get going. We have a test on The Centroid and Captain Flint next week."  
"Oh, yeah," I said. "I don't think I need to study much for that one. I know that history lesson by heart."  
Maria smiled at me. "That you do." She told me and gave me another small kiss. "Remember to eat something, okay? You have to keep your strength up." Maria left my dorm and I lied back on my bed. I glanced over at my homework and scoffed because I already knew the answers without having to look at the book. I knew everything about this academy and was more than prepared for it.


	16. Little Black Dress

(Back to Briar's POV)

It was the first weekend since the academy started and the day Jim and I were going to the city. I woke up early and took a relaxing bath and shaved, making sure I got every single stray hair on my leg and armpits. I even went as far as plucking my eyebrows. The only things I did not have was perfume and make-up, but I could manage without. As long as I scrubbed my face clean and lathered my body in honey scented soap and washed my hair twice, I would be okay.  
For my outfit I chose a long white skirt with a black belt and a dark blue, long sleeved, buttoned blouse with white cuffs and collar. After slipping on my black stockings and black ankle boots I combed my hair back as smoothly as I could and put it in a ponytail(I had noticed that the fashion here was that of a futuristic 19th century). I didn't have a lot of nice clothes but I tried my best to look decent. As I stared back at my reflection I wondered if Jim would like what I was wearing and I tried to see myself in that light, but I was having difficulty doing that. I sighed, feeling self-conscious all of a sudden. I spent so much time trying to look nice and now I just felt...bleh. Was I trying too hard? Did I have to? Did Jim even care? I shook my head. There was no point in thinking that way now.

I walked to the cafeteria and got myself a small breakfast: toast with butter a glass of milk.  
Jim wanted to have lunch together, so I didn't want to eat a lot for breakfast. I wondered where he would take me. Since I had no idea where anything was on Montressor, especially in the city, I figured Jim had that all figured out. As long as it was anything that tasted like Chinese or Mexican food I would be a happy camper. Then again, there was nothing wrong with trying something new.

The academy was quiet this early in the morning, although it was hardly early. By this time it was near ten o'clock. I had a good hour to explore the grounds of the academy and get acquainted with my surroundings. So far I had only explored the areas where I had my classes.  
I made my way to what looked like a courtyard. The grass was a dark green and smelled freshly cut. There were trees with skinny trunks and thin branches with big leaves, giving anyone an opportunity to take a break under its shade.  
In the middle sat a beautiful garden with benches to sit down and rest. Birds of all colors and sizes played around the bird bath and ate from the bird feeders, singing. It was so peaceful and different from other areas in the academy that for a second I thought I walked off the property and to some place else.  
I looked up at the sky, the captivating colors from the morning sun were fading and the light of day was showing brighter.

I left the courtyard to do more exploring, enjoying the quietness. The academy was so huge, though, and exploring it all in one day was not possible. By this time it was ready to go meet Jim. He told me to meet him outside the front of the academy. I quickened my pace, worried that I would be late after doing so much wandering around. It was okay if I got there a little early. It was better than being late.  
My dad always told me that if I wasn't at least five minutes early, I was fifteen minutes late, which didn't make sense to me but his weird advice never left my mind.

As I made my out the front doors, passing the two robot cops on my way out, I stopped abruptly after reaching the bottom of the steps. There I saw Jim waiting for me. He hadn't seen me yet. He was busy busy fixing the sleeve of his grey leather jacket. Underneath he wore a black shirt that was tucked into his black pants. His grey and black boots were made of fancy leather and fit to take on any kind hiking trip. He was leaning against what looked like a motorcycle, only it was a lot larger than any motorcycle I was used to seeing. It was kind of hot that he had his own bike...at least i assumed it was his.

It was then that he finally noticed me and waved.  
I hurried up to him and said, "I thought I was early." I said. "I hope you haven't waited long."  
Jim smiled. "I'm constantly on a military schedule, so if I'm not super early I always feel like I'm late."  
I raised a brow. "Funny," I said. "You're usually late for class."  
This made him laugh. "True." He got in his bike and pulled out two pairs of thick blue-green sunglasses with tiny buttons on the side. "Here," he handed me one. "Better safe than sorry." At first I wasn't sure what he meant by that and then I watched him press one of the small buttons and holographic helmet appeared.  
I slipped the sunglasses on and pressed the same button and the helmet covered my head in seconds. I reached to touch it and was a little shocked to feel the helmet had definition to it. Even though it looked holographic I could physically touch it. So cool, I thought.  
"You ready?" Jim asked. I nodded. "Good. Hop on."  
I lifted my skirt just enough so that it was comfortable to sit on the bike. I sat with both legs on one side and placed my hands on Jim's shoulders. I really wanted to put my arms around his waist, but I felt like that wouldn't appropriate.

When Jim turned his motorcycle on it was loud at first but died down to soft humming sound. It slowly raised a few inches above the ground and then a foot, and then two feet, and finally, the motorcycle hovered four feet above ground. We took off slowly but picked up speed once we got further away from the academy. My ponytail flew back gracefully, which made me feel like one of those models in a car commercial. I smiled to myself; I guess I could feel pretty even if I wasn't perfect.  
Jim kept his eyes looking straight ahead as he asked me, "We still haven't gone solar surfing."  
That's right, I thought. The last time we had a chance was when I first arrived and Jim was swamped with work. "You're right." I told him. "Maybe someday?"  
"Have you gone over solar surfers yet in any of your classes?" He asked me.  
I shook my head. "No. Right now we're learning how to make our own flashlight out of scraps."  
"Ah, I see. Well, you'll get there eventually." He told me with certainty.

When we reached the city I could smell a mix of freshly cooked food and different scents of perfume, spices and other odd smells. There were radical looking buildings everywhere I looked. Some were made out of wood, metal, bricks, or all three. We were surrounded by hundreds of different species and I tried not to stare. I was so fixated on everything that I didn't notice that I was about to walk into a large wooden barrel filled with fish to the brim.  
"Careful!" Jim grabbed my arm and pulled me over to his other side.  
"Oh!" I held my arms close to my chest, stunned as I froze in place for a few seconds. "Thanks..." I said.  
Jim grinned. "It's like you've never seen a city before."  
We started walking again, making our way past vendors and other neat workshops. "I have, just not like this before. It SO different."  
A thoughtful look spread across his face. "Tell me about Earth. What was it like to live there? What did you see?" He was very curious to know.  
"Well," I started. "Earth was made up of mostly water with seven continents, although scientists believed there to be only six since Asia and Europe were combined. There were also many many different countries, all with their rules and laws. Some places were safe while others were dangerous. There were beautiful places and horrifying places, too."  
"And where did you live among all these places?" Jim wanted to know.  
"I was born in Manhattan New York; that's in a country called America, but I spent a lot of my time in Europe. You see, my mom was Spanish and while my dad was from America he had family in England and France."  
"I've heard very few things about those places." Jim said. "Its such a lost time in our history that its not spoken enough about. People are forgetting about it. In fact, most people already have. If you were to tell someone about this they would think you're just making it up."  
I nodded to this. "Silver told me to never tell anyone where I came from, as I said before. He told me they would think I was crazy or take advantage of me."  
Jim put one arm around me and pulled me closer to him. "We wouldn't want that, now would we?" He gave me an innocent smile. "Ah, look!" He let me go and ushered me to follow him.  
We walked up to a small tent were a cat lady was selling little trinkets. I was dazzled by all that I saw.  
"Which one do you like the best?" Jim suddenly asked me.  
I was taken aback for a moment. "Huh, I uh, what?"  
"What do you like best?" He asked again.  
I looked over everything again, rubbing my chin, thinking. "That one." I pointed at what looked like a Glasswing butterfly. It was attached to two silver chopsticks.  
Jim turned to the cat lady and said something in a different language and handed her money. In return she handed him the hairpiece. Jim turned to me and placed it in my hair, sticking it into my ponytail.  
"Whoa! Wait, you didn't have to get me this..." I said, feeling shy suddenly.  
Jim shrugged as if it was no big deal. He smiled. "It's fine."  
I felt my cheeks getting warm. I would forever treasure this little gift.

When lunch time came around and our feet were getting sore from all the walking we found ourselves a neat little cafe to sit down and order food. There wasn't anything Mexican or Chinese related, but the slice-of-life food they had to offer was amazing. I ordered a ham and cheese sandwich that was lightly toasted. I could taste all the exotic spices and savored every bite. On the side Jim and I shared a plate of small rolled up sugar cakes with powdered sugar on top. It was so good! To wash it all down I had cup of cream tea. I felt like I was in Dartmouth England again.  
"What are you thinking about?" Jim asked me. He must have noticed me daydreaming.  
I gave him a small smile and took in a deep breath, slowly let it out. "There was this restaurant named Cafe Alf Resco in a town called Dartmouth; this place reminds me of there. It was in England, and also where my grandparents on my dad's side lived. Every summer we would go visit them for two weeks. I knew that town like the back of my hand." I took my tiny spoon and swished around my tea. "There was a time when I almost became stranded on a rock because the tide was coming in, but my dad brought me to safety just in time."  
"Sounds like your dad was a good guy."  
I blankly stared off into the vast city and nodded slowly. "He was..." I came back to my senses and smiled at Jim. "Thank you for lunch. It was really good."  
Jim sat back in chair and crossed his arms. "You say that as if the day is already over." I blushed; I could think of nothing to say. He laughed. "Its okay. I'm only teasing."  
I relaxed some. "Where else did you want to go? I don't know the area, so I can't make much of a suggestion."  
I watched as a grin spread across his face. "I have a few places in mind." He told me.

Once Jim paid the bill and we left he took me too popular monuments in the city. There were tall structures of famous ships that were build in the middle of some of the most popular areas of the city. There were even statues of famous captains and entrepreneurs and people who helped build Montressor.  
We also stopped for ice cream, which was a total surprise to me and I gladly indulged in two scoops of chocolate. Jim had the same, too, and we took a seat on some steps and people watched as we enjoyed our sweet treat.  
As I saw the sun going down it made me sad. I didn't want the day to end.  
"There is one last place I would like to take you, if you don't mind?" Jim said as he finished off his ice cream.  
I was intrigued. "Oh? Where's that?" I licked the stickiness from my fingers.  
"That's a surprise."

On our way back to his motorcycle I half expected Jim to tell me hop on again; instead he lifted the seat of his bike and pulled out a black plastic bag and handed it to me.  
"What's this?" I asked. The bag had some weight to it.  
"Look inside."  
I did as he said and peered inside, seeing something resembling a shimmering piece of black clothing and black dress shoes with a small heel. "Whaaaaat's this...?" I couldn't help that my question sounded long and drawn out.  
"You're twenty-three, right?" He asked. I nodded. "Good, I thought so."  
"Jim, where are we going?"  
He grinned mischievously. "You'll see." He took my hand and led me in a completely different part of the city.

As the sun was fading the lights were coming on and soon the city was lit up like a beacon. It was more colorful and lively at night. It was exciting as it reminded me of my evening walks in Milan.  
We came upon a tall building with dim lights showing through from the inside; music could be heard from within. What kind of place was this?  
There was tall and strongly built bear-like man standing at the front door. Jim showed him ID and pointed at me with his thumb. "She's with me." He told the bear man.  
The bear man stood off to the side to let us through. The door opened with ease and I could feel a wave of heat rush past me. "With everything you've had to put up with lately, I thought this place could help you unwind."  
Jim was certainly right. I had been feeling stressed for the longest time. I guess it was obvious through my body language. There was no reason for me to say anything to let people know how I was feeling. I guess I wasn't doing a very good job of hiding my feelings.

The place was a club and the inside was decorated with dimly lit lights of all different colors, but the main theme was green and blue. The music was a soft and melancholic beat. People were dancing, having conversations and sharing drinks. If they were doing none of those things they were sitting down smoking and getting high. I thought that maybe the smoke would have a bad smell but it didn't. Instead it smelled sweet.  
"Over here." Jim gently pulled me through the crowd and brought me to a door somewhere in the back. "Go ahead and change. I'll wait."  
I wish I could have read Jim's expression in order to find out anything about what he had planned for tonight.

The next room was a bathroom with three stalls. I took the one furthest down and locked the door. As I opened the bag I pulled out a silky ruffled black dress. It had a wide top to show off my shoulders and the sleeves were made out of a lacy material with a sewn flower-like design. It stopped at my mid thighs, but the dress was stretchy enough that if I bent over I wouldn't flash anyone. Thankfully the ruffles hid the small bit of my tummy that liked to poke out. I put on the dress shoes next, careful not to let my bare feet touch the floor as I took off my boots and stockings. I was so glad I shaved.  
When I put my other clothes in the bag and stepped out of the stall I stared at myself in the mirror and hardly recognized myself. I had to hand it to Jim; he had good taste. And I guess there was no surprise that he guessed my size right, seeing as he probably helped pick out my uniform for the academy.

When I stepped back out into the main part of the club Jim was still there waiting for me. He motioned me to follow him once again and we came to a counter where a female praying mantis-like human stood. She was terrifyingly beautiful.  
Jim handed her his jacket and then held out his hand for my bag. He gave that to her as well to hold for us as we enjoyed our time in the club.

Once that was taken care of we walked up to a bar and sat down. More praying mantis-like humans stood behind the counter, ready to serve us. Jim ordered us drinks and some food.  
"I haven't drank in a really time." I said honestly.  
"It's okay. I haven't either."  
I shook my head. "No, I'm talking like a year without any alcohol in my system."  
Jim laughed. "Okay, you have me beat there." He raised his glass. "To you, Miss Briar Edwards!"  
I smiled. "Salute!" And we clanked our drinks. The neon blue drink was bitter at first, but as it ran down my throat it left a sweet after taste. "Oh Gods!" I coughed and hit my chest with my fist.  
Jim raised a brow. "Are you okay?"  
I laughed after I manage to stop coughing. "Yeah, I'm great."  
Jim grinned. God...his smile was more intoxicating than the drink. "We'll have another, please." He told the bartender.

Only after a few more shots did I notice that Jim wasn't having any and only treating me to various beverages. Now that I thought about it I think he only had two shots.  
I hick-upped. "No more." I told him, feeling the alcohol now, but it wasn't enough to where I couldn't walk straight.  
Jim laughed. "Okay."

Soon after we left the bar and stepped out on to the dance floor where the majority of the occupants were spending their time. The ambient music left me feeling like I was swimming along with waves.  
The dim lights shined down on us and left many shadows dancing all over Jim's body. His black shirt was taut against his handsome chest and it was then I noticed how truly well formed his body was. It was like he was sculptured by the Gods of Greek mythology. So...damn...hot. And it didn't help the swelling feeling in my stomach that he could dance really well too. I tried to copy his moves but ended up just making up my own and having fun.  
As we kept at it, feeling the heat of the other lights and those surrounding us, Jim placed his hand on my lower back and pulled me closer to him. He rested his forehead on mine with his hand still lingering on my back. We swayed from side to side and back and forth. Every once in a while his hips would brush up against mine and I wondered if he noticed this too.  
I'm not sure how long we danced but I was so happy in that moment, and it did help keep clear my thoughts of all the stress. For a moment I forgot that I wasn't on Earth anymore and the fact that everyone I knew in the past was gone; I was in the here and now.

Unfortunately the night couldn't last forever and the club was starting to close up. Jim and I gathered up our things at the counter and left.  
I welcomed the fresh, cool night air. Suddenly, I felt a drop of water and looked up.  
"Briar?" Jim stopped walking and looked back at me.  
"It's raining." I said. And like that the rain came down harder and we ran for cover. We stood under an awning, waiting for the rain to let up, but wasn't. Finally, I stepped out into it.  
"Briar, what are you doing? You'll get all wet." Jim said still standing underneath the awning.  
I looked to him and said, "So,"  
Jim smiled and joined my side.  
I spun around and started walking. "A little rain never hurt anyone."  
Jim hurried to catch up with me. "I haven't walked in the rain for a long time."  
I welcomed the feel the cold rain hitting my skin. Soon, I picked up my speed, doing a light jog through the city streets. By this time most of the city folk had retired for the night and we had most of the street to ourselves. It was never my intention to initiate a game of tag, but Jim started chasing after me. I felt like a child again; care free, but I was a little too tipsy to care at the moment. Jim was laughing, too, enjoying the moment as much as me. But that precious moment was short lived as a bitter-sweet memory found its way to my mind: walking in the rain with my parents. It was a year before my mom was diagnosed with cancer. We were so happy back then.  
I stopped running, Jim getting a few feet ahead of me before he finally stopped. "Briar?"  
"I'm fine." I tried to laugh but that laugh turned into a soft sob. My shoulders shook and I covered my face, crying.  
"Hey," Jim walked up to me and rested a hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay?" I shook my head, unable to say anything. How could I explain to him that I was feeling? Suddenly, he pulled me in to his embrace. "Did I do something wrong?" He asked. I shook my head. Of course he wasn't. Jim was doing all the right things and I was ruining it. "What's the matter, Briar?"  
I looked up at him, wiping my tears away and gave him half a smile. "I'm fine, really. I'm just really happy. Thank you for getting my mind off of things."  
Jim smiled back but I had a feeling that he could tell I wasn't telling the whole truth. He let me go and grabbed my hand. "We should head back."  
I nodded. "Yeah,"

By then the effects of the alcohol had worn off so there was no danger in Jim riding his motorcycle.  
When I got on and made sure my helmet was securely on my head I wrapped my arms around Jim's waist and rested my head on his back. As we took off Jim pressed a few buttons and a holographic bubble formed around us, blocking us from the rain. I let myself relax on our way back, keeping my eyes close as I held on to Jim. I had wanted this moment to last forever.

When we arrived to the academy Jim stopped a block away from it and allowed me to get off, but not before taking hold my hands with his, keeping my arms firmly wrapped around his waist. "Briar," he said. "I really hope everything is alright."  
I stayed silent.  
"I know what its like to be different...to be the odd man out. And if you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to ask me."  
"I know." I told him.  
Jim twisted his torso a bit to look back at me. "Do you?" Again I was silent. "Because I don't think you do." What was I to say to him? Yes, Jim, you're absolutely right. I don't ask for your help because I feel like I'm annoying you. And even though I really like you and I want to talk to you more, I don't want to screw it up by asking for a silly favor. I want to be perfect for you.  
I couldn't tell him that...  
He sighed. "I haven't known you for very long, but I can tell you're a good person, and I don't want to see you struggle, especially if you don't have to."  
"Okay..." My voice was barely audible. "You want to know why I was crying, what's been bothering me?" I took his silence as a yes. "Its because I miss my dad...my mom...and all my friends on Earth. Walking in the rain tonight reminded me of a time when my little family was happy, before we were broken...before I lost my mom. I miss it all." Jim stayed quiet. "I don't come asking for help because I respect that you're a busy person and you have bigger issues to deal with."  
This time Jim scoffed. "You think I care about that? How many times do I have to say it, Briar? You're my friend first."  
I started tearing up again. He was so kind. "I'm sorry..."  
Jim squeezed my hands. "Don't apologize." He told me. And then he let go and got off his bike. "C'mon, I'll walk you to the front doors." He offered me his hand and I took it.  
It was the longest block I had ever walked as everything Jim just told me ran through my mind. He opened the front door for me with his ID card since they were locked at this hour. "You shouldn't have any trouble getting back to your dorm. Most of the students stay up late during the weekends." He informed me.  
I nodded. "Good to know." Before walking inside Jim grabbed my hand and I looked up at him.  
"I meant what I said, Briar."  
I nodded. "I know, and believe me when I say this."  
Jim gave my hand a light squeeze and leaned in to whisper in my ear. "You looked stunning today...you still do. Goodnight." I half expected him to give me a kiss goodnight on my forehead, but he respected my well being and retained his gentlemanly manner.  
"Goodnight, Jim."

That night as I lied awake in bed I recalled all the events of the day. This was my life now and I would have to try and enjoy it while it lasted.


	17. White Day

The following days after spending time with Jim in the city went by quickly. I would get stuck in a daze just thinking about our time together if I didn't keep myself busy.  
Classes proceeded as normal and I was able to keep my grades up. However, for Jim's class we were recently getting a sub because of more pirates mischief. He was a high ranking captain and was expected to get up and go when duty called. I kept my thoughts to myself as I did not want to raise any suspicion.

Today in one of my classes, which was a class based on weapons and how to use and clean them, we were given a choice to pick our own. We would be given a chance to prove our skills. I was really happy about this because I saw that the bow and arrow was an option. I hadn't used one since I was with Silver, but I was feeling pretty confident in myself.  
I picked one out that suited my size and then altered the string on the bow to equal my strength when I'd pull back.  
"The bow is a good choice." Said Lucard.  
"What did you pick?" I asked him.  
He held up a gun. It was one of the newest models we were learning about. "This one, naturally."  
I raised one brow and furrowed the other. "Isn't that cheating?"  
Lucard scoffed. "Nonsense! Just watch the master and learn." He walked off chuckling.  
What a goof ball, I thought.

As class went on and I watched the students take part in showing off their skills, it came time for Lucard. He looked calm and collected as he stepped up to the front of the class. The lights in the room dimmed to the point that I could hardly see anything. And then, green and read neon colored signs showed up and Lucard fired away. He was extremely quick, but that gun was also light weight. I had fired it once as practice; the whole class did. The only reason the new model wasn't in favor was because it easily became jammed, which left me to wonder why Lucard wanted to use it in the first place. This test was to prove how swift and accurate he could be. Why did he want to risk failing the test over something so obvious? Well, I was about to find out.  
When the lights turned back on the neon colored signs lost their shine and were steaming with smoke from all the bullets. Everyone was silent, even the teacher.  
Lucard put the gun on the table where he originally picked it up from and turned to the teacher. "How did I do?" He asked.  
For a second the teacher was dumb founded. "Uh, you did excellent." He thought for a moment, pondering in thought. "How did you get the gun not to stick? I purposely set up that number of signs so something like that would happen; to prove how well you would handle the circumstances."  
"So I pass?" Lucard said in question.  
The teacher nodded. "Yes. Please, take a seat. Oh! But before you do, how did you manage to fire the gun without the usual problem?"  
I could see with the look on Lucard's face that he really wanted someone to ask him this. "Baby lotion." The class cracked up with laughter when he said this. So did I.  
The teacher was confused. "B-baby lotion?"  
"Oh yes, definitely. I wiped the bullets down before putting them in." He patted his pocket. "I have a small plastic bag on me with some lotion in it. I knew what today was going to be, so I came prepared."  
"You say this as if you've none the solution to this problem for a while." The teacher commented.  
Lucard shrugged and took a seat. "It was just a lucky guess."  
"...Right." The teacher looked down at his notebook and read off the next name. "Briar Edwards, you're next."  
I stood up now, slightly nervous, but I knew I could do it. I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants and readied my bow. I took out one arrow and positioned it to be ready to pull back. This time the lights stayed on and more signs appeared. They were bigger than the last and thicker. It was another test on how fast and accurate one could be.  
"Go!" The teacher blew on a whistle.

I raised my bow and pulled back, firing my first arrow in a long time. Thankfully I hit the target, but it wasn't where I wanted it to be and landed in the third outer circle. I heard the students whispering behind my back. I knew at that moment that I had to try even harder. I quickly raised my bow and let it go, watching it hit the second outer circle. It wasn't where I wanted it, but it was better than before. My next couple of shots were even closer, but they never reached the red circle painted in the middle. When the last sign appeared I took in a breath and allowed myself to focus on the target with as much time that was a given to me before the sign would plop back down. I let my arrow go with grace the last three remaining seconds and held my breath.  
Unfortunately I was not as gifted as Lucard and some of the other students, but I certainly wasn't the worst. My arrow came close, landing just a few inches away from the red circle. I sighed, putting my bow down on the table along with the arrows.  
"You pass!" Said the teacher.  
I sighed with relief and took a seat.

Throughout the day I heard talk about a special holiday coming up and when I asked Maria in between classes about it she said, "There is a holiday tomorrow called White Day. All the girls have an opportunity to dress in their finest white dresses and bring a special little something to the boy they like, or a friend they admire."  
"Special little something?" I asked.  
Maria nodded. "Mmm hmm. Like chocolate, a card or a small gift like a nick-knack."  
"Ah, I get it now. Why do they do this?" I wanted to know the reason behind it.  
"It's because way back in the day girls were not allowed to join the academy. So, as a way for boys to see friends and family they created this holiday. It gave mothers, siblings and young girls with crushes the opportunity to show how much they cared."  
"That seems kind of lame. If you ask me, they should have just let the girls join right away." I told her honestly. I felt comfortable speaking my mind around her.  
Maria chuckled. "You would think so, huh? But you see, once they let girls join and continued the tradition they came up with a second holiday known as Blue Day. Its pretty much the same thing, only the boys go around handing out gifts."  
I wasn't too impressed. "I won't do it." I told her. "I wouldn't have the guts to deliberately hand my crush a gift."  
Maria chuckled again. "You see, that's the thing: the boys don't know who gave the gifts. I mean, you could leave your name, but most choose not to. Its the same thing for boys. Even teachers can give and receive." She added.  
"Ooh, okay." My attitude toward it was somewhat altered. As Maria and I split up for our last class I thought about what I could give the captain. If we didn't have to leave our names, then I could give him something really nice in secret.

Dreadful physical fitness was next, but thankfully the last. I was in a hurry to make something for Jim; I didn't have time to dilly dally around a gym!  
Today we were throwing 10lbs balls back and forth while doing squats. My thighs were burning and so were my arms. I couldn't take it anymore! And when the teacher blew on her whistle, signaling us to switch sides, I fell on my bottom. After being in that position for a solid two minutes my legs gave way right at the end.  
"Get up, Miss. Edwards! This is no time to be taking a nap!" The teacher scolded me. I wanted to glare at her, but I kept my head down.  
My partner for today was that same bird girl from my morning class. She was snooty and rude and such an air nose! Gah! I could not stand her.  
"Why not just give up?" She was constantly giving me snotty remarks each time we walked passed each other to switch sides. I was getting sick of it.  
Again I crouched in a squatting position and continued throwing the ball. This time I fell a minute in and landed hard on my knees. "Ouch..." I wanted nothing more than to just give up, but I wasn't going to let that bird girl get the better of me.  
"Run a lap, Miss. Edwards!" The teacher ordered.  
Great, I thought. I get punished for trying my hardest. Next time I'll be smart and give less of an effort. I stood up, rubbing my knees before I started my lap.  
"You're so weak." The bird girl said to me again, always making sure that only I could hear.  
Again I ignored her and ran my lap. As I came back around I tripped and fell, but not because I was being clumsy. It was because that stupid bird girl. She tripped me!  
"Oh, look at that. You fell again." She said.  
That was the last straw. Not only was my pride hurting but my knees and now my chin seeing as I landed face first. I stood up, anger bursting from the top of my head, and I yelled, "Shut up or I'll cook your children for breakfast, Bird girl!"  
The class stopped what they were doing and stared at us. I was too pissed off to care.  
Someone pointed at me and said, "That's raciest!"  
Shit. I was really going to have it now, wasn't I?  
The teacher stormed over to me and told me to get off the gym floor. "I will not tolerate that kind of behavior in my class, Miss. Edwards!"  
I moved over by the benches and rolled my eyes. "Oh yeah, talk to her about it. She keeps whispering rude things to me." I fought back, trying to defend myself.  
That stupid bird girl looked at me like she was shocked, like she would never do such a thing. It only angered me further.  
"Let's take a short walk to the principles office." The teacher scooted me out of the gym and we made our way to the office.

No one said anything for the longest time while the three of us sat in the office. I was still sweaty and stinky and my muscles felt like they were on fire.  
Finally, the gym teacher said, "Why don't you tell the principle what you said to your fellow classmate?"  
I took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. I felt like I was ten again. I mumbled it at first, but then my teacher scolded me and urged me to speak more clearly. "I said," and then I paused. "'Shut up or I'll cook your children for breakfast, Bird girl.'"  
The principle was none too happy to hear this and told me that what I said was extremely raciest. My punishment was that I would lose all my allowance for next week.  
"What will I do for food?" I asked.  
"You will have to work for it: clean the dishes, take out trash, the list can and will go on...for your benefit." The principle told me.  
For my benefit? What a load of crap! "Fine...whatever..." I said.  
If anything good came from this it was that I was able to get out of class early and shower before the rest of the girls. How bad could it be, I thought. I'd worked before. I cleaned plenty of dishes while living with Mrs. Hawkins and even took the trash out for her. I was more than prepared to meet my maker. Speaking of which...I still had to make something for Jim. White Day was tomorrow and I needed to think fast.

After school hours I ran to the cafeteria and asked the cooks if I could bake something. At first it was totally out of the question, but when I explained that it was for White Day they decided to help me out...with their supervision, of course.  
Jim's favorite thing to eat when it came to sweets was chocolate, but I didn't want it be huge, like a cake, or even the usual cookie or cupcake because I knew that a hundred other girls would be doing the exact same thing. What I made would have to be unique!  
As I stood there hovering over the table with the dough ready to be shaped, I thought about what I could make. Ah hah! I knew just the thing to make him: a cookie in the shape of the Eiffel tower. I never told him much about Paris, so when he would see this he would have no idea who it was by, and yet the cookie would keep its uniqueness. I smiled to myself while I flattened the dough further and then carefully cut the dough in the shape I wanted.

When it finished baking and I let it cool down, I dipped the cookie in chocolate. It looked so perfect on the plastic sheet of paper.  
"That turned out really well." Said one of the cooks.  
"Oh, thank you!"  
"What is it?"  
I thought of what to say. If I told her what it really was she would ask me more questions about it, so I said, "Just something really cool that I saw in the city a few days ago."  
The cook seemed satisfied with my answer. "Very nice. Well, are you finished or do you need more time?"  
I shook my head. "No, I'm good." I helped the cooks clean up the mess I left behind and then after I retreated to my dorm. I placed the cookie inside a white clean cloth with a blue ribbon tied around it. I picked that color because it reminded me the color of Jim's eyes. I blushed at the thought; I was such a hopeless romantic.  
As I set the cookie on my dresser I glanced over at the little black dress Jim bought me. I hadn't washed it yet and it still somewhat smelled like the club and night air. That dress was a good memory for me; even if nothing more ever became of me and Jim from that night, at least I had this to look back on.  
Before heading off to bed I set out my clothes to for tomorrow. The girls were allowed to dress up tomorrow as long as it was white. I picked out a long white skirt and white blouse; I didn't have a white dress. And as I rested my head on my pillow I looked over at the dresser one last time before turning off the lights. The cookie and the butterfly hairpiece sat there waiting patiently for the following day to come.

The next morning I awoke as I normally did and prepped myself for the day. I made sure my hair was neatly brushed and put it in a ponytail again. I set the butterfly hairpiece firmly at the top and smiled.  
Before leaving for class I grabbed the cookie and fit it snugly in the pocket of my skirt. It was the safest place I could to put it and not have it be out in the open. Maria told me that most girls chose not to let the boys know who gave them the gift, so I didn't want to have mine out in the open in case Jim were to see it.  
As the day wet by I was getting impatient. I wanted to secretly slip my cookie on Jim's desk.  
"I heard what happened." Lucard said to me as he took a seat next to me at lunch.  
"Huh?" I was in a bit of a daze.  
Lurcard grinned. "Your raciest comment." He told me.  
"Oh...that. Yeah..."  
"Did you really lose your allowance for the week?" He asked and I nodded. He then handed me an apple. "I don't want you to go hungry so eat this."  
"Hey, thanks, Lucard." I took the apple and bit into it.  
"You can have my fruit, too, if you want?" Maria said.  
I nodded. "Sure!" I picked the orange slices from her try and set them on a napkin. I could have got lunch for myself, but I didn't feel like taking a risk and getting dirty while cleaning dishes or taking out trash. Maybe tomorrow, I thought.

Finally, Jim's class was next and I hurried to get there before anyone else so I could sneak my cookie on his desk. Unfortunately there were people already there, not to mention the 50 something gifts that littered the desk. My hopes and dreams did a belly flop, like a poorly misjudged dive. What was I expecting? Okay, yeah, I did expect there to be gifts on his desk, but I didn't think there would be that many. I held back a sigh and took a seat, keeping the cookie in my pocket.  
When the bell dinged and Jim came running he stopped to take a moment to look at his desk. He managed to push some to the side to make room for his teaching text books, but just barely.  
Throughout class I kept thinking about my cookie. I really wanted to give it to him but after seeing how much he had received, I got the feeling mine would just get lost in the pile.  
When the bell finally dinged I left in a hurry. I didn't stop to see if Jim looked my way and bolted for the door. I headed down the hall and hid behind the corner, waiting for the room to empty. When it did and Jim had left I sneaked my way back to the classroom. I opened the door, surprised to find it unlocked, and walked inside. The gifts were still there. I reached my hand inside my pocket and took out the cookie. I stared at it wondering if it was worth adding to the pile. Sighing, I turned my heel and tossed my cookie in the trash. There was no point; I wiped a tear away. I wasn't like the other girls. I knew I was different and I didn't want to play along with their game. This was so stupid of me.  
Suddenly, as I made my out the door, I bumped into someone. "Oof!" When I looked up a hard lump got caught in my throat. "Jim?"  
"Careful." He steadied me with one free hand while he held a box with his other. "Did you forget something?" He asked.  
I shook my head. "No."  
"Did you...need to ask me something?"  
Crap! What do I say? "I was actually looking for one of my classmates. I let them borrow some notes of mine." It wasn't a total lie. I did let a classmate borrow some of my notes to copy a few days ago.  
"Oh. Why didn't you just ask them before class was over?" His questions wouldn't stop.  
"I had to use the bathroom. I thought they would wait for me. I guess not." I shrugged, as if it was no big deal.  
"Ah, I see. Well, Briar, you better get to your next class. I'll see you tomorrow." He gave me a wink and walked inside the classroom where he proceeded to put the treats and gifts inside the box.  
"See you tomorrow!" I said.

**Jim's POV**

As Briar ran off to her next class I finished putting the gifts inside the box. This usually happened every year on White Day. Even though this was my first year teaching at the academy (mainly because I wanted to keep a close eyes on Briar) the girls from the academy still managed to send me gifts and treats. The first year it happened I ate some of the pastries, but by doing that I felt like I was indulging them, so I stopped. Now I bring it back to the inn so my mom can eat some or hand them off to the customers; I always give Morph a few treats, too. I felt bad for doing that, but I didn't know what else to do.  
When I put the last treat in the box and headed for the door it was then that something caught my eye. I noticed a neatly wrapped gift with a blue ribbon tied around it was in the trash. I looked at it in question as I set the box down. It wasn't there before class started. I picked it up and opened it carefully. It was a chocolate cookie that looked like a tower that almost looked like an 'A' as well. I'd never seen anything like it before.  
It all became too clear to me now: Briar. I had a very good idea that this cookie was made by her. What a dork. She should have just gave it to me. Still, a smile spread across my face. I was going to keep this one and I wrapped it back up before placing it on my desk, saving it for tomorrow. I was intent on having Briar present while I ate her cookie. She must have worked hard on making this and I didn't want her feeling like it was all for nothing.


	18. Blue Day

I was late getting to Jim's class; washing dishes after lunch had gotten the better of me. I thought, how hard could it be? I was sorely mistaken. Not only were my pant legs and part of my shirt wet but I was picking off pieces of food left over from the dirty dishes. Thankfully I managed to clean myself off properly before entering the classroom.  
When I opened the door Jim stopped in mid sentence and looked my way, so did the students. I slipped the tardy excuse letter on his desk and slugged my way over to my seat. Even though I don't think he cared that I was late I still felt the need to hand him the excuse.  
Jim went back to teaching and I grumbled silently to myself. It was all that bird girls fault! Still, I wasn't going to say anything, not anymore anyway. If I could get through four years of high school, I could get through this.

When Jim finished his lecture and we all got to working on our assignment I noticed him take something out from his desk drawer. I nearly gasped as I saw that it was my cookie. It was still perfectly wrapped. No way! I thought. I totally threw it away. Why does he have it? As I watched him unwrap it and take a bite he glanced over at me and I quickly averted my eyes back to my book. Did he see me watching him? I hope not.  
I could hear the munching of the cookie as he ate it. A small part of me enjoyed every second of it.  
"Are you having trouble?"  
I looked up from my book and saw Jim hovering over me. "Uh, no."  
He leaned on my desk. "Really? I couldn't help but see you struggling while reading."  
Were my facial expressions THAT obvious? "Oh...well...I..."  
Jim bent down and rested his elbows on my desk. He pulled the book over so he could see where I was. "Ah, you're at this part. Are you having trouble understanding the solar-powered space galleons?"  
I shook my head. "No, I understand them. Its just..."  
"Other stuff," Jim finished my sentence. I nodded. He stood back up, straight and tall, and said, "If you need anything just ask." And he took another bite of the cookie.  
I nodded. "Sure thing, Mr. Hawkins. Thanks."  
Once Jim returned to his seat I felt a cold sting on my right shoulder and looked over. D'Claire was giving me a stink-eye. It was then that I could feel most of the students eyes on me. Did they know something I didn't?

When the bell dinged, signaling us all that class was over I gathered up my belongings and headed for the door.  
"Wait, Miss. Edwards." Jim called out to me.  
I turned to face him, standing off to the side so the other students could get through. "Yes?"  
"Why were you late for class? That's a first. Is something wrong?"  
I heaved a heavy sigh. "Not really." I muttered.  
"What's the matter, Briar?" He called me by my first name now that we were alone.  
"I lost my allowance for a week." I just came out and said it.  
Jim was shocked. "What? How? I thought you were doing great in your classes."  
My shoulders fell, feeling disappointed in myself. "I am, it's just, I got in trouble for something else."  
"Like what?" He asked.  
"I said a raciest comment to a student a few days ago."  
Jim leaned back on his desk, resting his palms on the edges. "What did you say?"  
I didn't want to say it again but I forced myself too. "'Shut up or I'll cook your children for breakfast, bird girl.'"  
Jim pressed his lips together, trying not to laugh. "I see."  
It was quiet between the two of us for a moment. And then Jim said, "I would talk with the principle about this, but I'm afraid that would be showing favoritism. And if that were to happen I could be removed here as a teacher. I'm sorry that happened to you though."  
Favoritism, I thought. I looked at him with sudden interest now. "I'm your favorite?"  
Jim scratched the back of his head as he often did when he didn't know what to say. "I have a hard time seeing you as a student."  
I nodded, understanding. I was closer to his age and met him under certain circumstances, unlike so many of the other students. "As a friend." I said as a matter of fact. "I should be getting to my next class or I'll be late...again." When I made my way to the door Jim called out to me again but this time I didn't stop.  
"Wait, Briar...that's not what I..." I heard him sigh as I left the room.

I ran to my next class as I did not want to have to explain to the teacher why.  
When I arrived I expected the teacher to be waiting for me with a glare on his face. It wasn't just me he would give a hard time for being late, but to other students as well. But he wasn't there. Strange, I thought. He was always here early. Not once did I ever see him be late or arrive the same time as the other students. I was beginning to wonder if he ever left his classroom. Now I knew.  
Lately we had been learning how to dismantle a solar surfer and put it back together.  
"Mr. Langton is never late. Do you think he's sick?" Said one student.  
"No way! I saw him earlier today." Said another.  
"Are you stupid?" A third student cut in. "That doesn't mean anything."  
Finally, a student in the back spoke up. "I saw him speaking with Captain Amelia and Admiral Blake, or rather, they were speaking to him. Some cops were there too."  
A few gasps erupted throughout the classroom. "Do you think he got in trouble with the law or something?"  
As the students talked among themselves I stayed silent. I had enough to worry about. I didn't need to add to the gossip.  
"Sorry I'm late." We all looked up, expecting to see Mr. Langton, but it was Jim. I cocked my head to one said in question. What was he doing here? "Mr. Langton will not be joining us today. In fact, he will be gone from now on."  
"What happened?" Asked a student who was sitting next to me.  
Jim answered him quickly. "That's not for you to worry about." He cleared his throat. "Everyone, stand up! We're having class outside today." Everyone stood up in haste while I was still trying to process everything. "No need to bring your text books. You won't be needing those." He told us.  
As I made my way outside with the rest of the class Jim grabbed my arm and pulled me back in a subtle way as to not catch the eyes of the other students. "What are you doing?" I whispered.  
"You left before I could properly explain myself." He whispered back.  
"What's there to explain?" I pulled my arm away from his grasp.  
"We can talk about it later." He hurried to be in front of the class and left me behind to ponder in thought.

When we reached outside we found an even amount of solar surfers waiting for us. "You've taken apart and put one back together many times in the past, correct?" Jim asked and we all nodded to him. "Good. Today you will be flying one, but not alone. You need to find a partner." Everyone's eyes scanned the open area and partners were quickly established. As I tried to find Lynn she was nowhere to be seen. In fact, I hadn't seen her all day. She must have been sick.  
I walked over to a lonely solar surfer, waiting for someone to pick me as a partner, but no one ever did...at least not any of my classmates.  
"It seems we have an odd number today." Jim walked up to me.  
I shrugged. "Seems to be my lucky number these days." I told him. "Oh well. I guess I'll just kick back for the rest of class."  
Jim gave me a short laugh. "You're not getting off that easily."  
My eyes grew wide. "Wait, what?"  
"Do you really think as a teacher I'd let you all fly without any supervision? I have to be on a solar surfer myself in order to do that, and you don't seem to have a partner so..."  
I felt myself getting nervous again. "You're going to be my partner?" I asked.  
"For life." He laughed as he joked.  
I blushed, turning around quickly to face the solar surfer. "Ha Ha, very funny, Mr. Hawkins." I brought the sail up and it shimmered a beautiful silver gold. I grabbed on to the rail and put my feet in the proper fashion that the solar surfer was designed.  
"Oh no," said Jim. "You're putting your hands on top of mine. I'll be guiding the solar surfer."  
"How will I learn if you're doing all the work?" I protested.  
Some of the students had already taken off as Jim got on behind me. He moved my feet with his, forcing them in a different position as he made room for himself. "Looks like I get to take you on that ride after all." He whispered in my ear.  
Shivers ran up and down my spine. "Y-you're right." I said as I clasped my hands over his. They were so warm.

Jim had me start up the solar surfer and from there we took off. We flew at least two hundred feet into the air. The rest of the class kept fairly close to one another but spaced out far enough as to not bump into one another and also so that no prying ears would be able to hear me and Jim's conversation.  
"Now that you can't run away we can finally talk this issue out."  
I was silent. I was too busy focusing on not passing out from the height.  
"Briar?"  
"I'm listening," I told him. "I'm just paying attention to what I'm doing." I was also terrified. I was so excited at first, but now that I was actually doing it I could see just how dangerous something like this could be.  
"It's okay, I've got you." Jim reassured me. "I started building solar surfers when I was eight. I'm a pro."  
I gulped. "I believe you."  
"Now," said Jim, "about what I said to you after class."  
I shut my eyes. "Not now, Jim. I'm really trying to focus."  
He scoffed. "You don't need to focus on anything. I'm in complete control."  
I could feel his body pressing against my back to keep me from going over the edge. I had no choice but to relax against him, my head on his chest. "I walked away because I didn't want to be late for class."  
"Bullshit." Said Jim. "You walked away because you're scared of the truth."  
This time I scoffed. "Oh yeah, and what's that?" I asked him.  
"What if I told you that the truth isn't so bad?"  
I was silent.  
"I have a hard time seeing you as a student because I see you more as friend, and not just a friend whose an acquaintance. I see you as someone I can really trust; someone I can rely on." I could tell he wanted to say more but he was holding back now. "By the way," he said, "the cookie was great."  
My heart skipped a bit and butterflies filled my tummy. "What...?"  
"Don't play dumb, Briar. I know that cookie was from you."  
I sighed. "How did you know?"  
"I knew it wasn't in the trash during class and it only appeared after I ran into you. You should have just given it to me."  
I grumbled. "I just...I wanted to do something nice for you, but seeing how you already had so many, I felt like mine would mean little after that." I tried to make it sound like I was trying to thank him for all the nice things he had done for me, and in a way I was, but in that moment when I was making the cookie it was for a completely different reason. It was because I liked him...and maybe even loved him...  
"So you threw it away? That doesn't make any sense."  
"It does me. Trust me, I have my reasons as to why I do the things I do. Can I at least keep that to myself?"  
Jim said, "Fair enough. Everyone has the right to keep a few secrets." He then added, "Also, I didn't eat those treats. I gave them to my mom."  
My heart fluttered up to my throat. I was extremely happy to hear this. "You did?"  
Jim laughed. "You almost sound happy about this."  
"Uh..." I stumbled over my words. "I'm just surprised is all."  
"If I ate those treats every year I wouldn't be as fit as I am right now." He said half jokingly.  
I laughed a bit myself, imagining a more plump Jim Hawkins.

Jim swerved this way and that as he checked up on the other students, making sure they were all using their safety precautions.  
And as we slowly descended, landing safely back on the ground, a small part of me was bummed out. I really enjoyed flying the solar surfer with Jim. I missed being that close to him. It was nice, and it felt so...right. He said no more to me about our previous conversation and went back to being my 'teacher'.  
The rest of the day went smoothly and I had no trouble with the other students. Even during physical fitness. Thankfully Lynn was back in class I was able to partner up with her; she was about as clumsy as me, so whenever I messed up in front of her I didn't feel like I was being judged.

The following week it was Blue Day and the boys were handing out their treats and gifts(I was also given my allowance back). I was wondering if Jim would give me anything, and if he did, would I even know about it? He was able to keep it a secret from me if he wanted to. I was thinking about all of this during lunch.  
"You've barely touched you food, Briar." Maria said to me.  
Lynn picked her head up from looking at her tray. "I'll eat whatever you don't want." Her little nose wiggled.  
"Ah," I shoved some vegetables in my mouth. "Sorry...I was lost in thought." I said with a full mouth.  
Maria giggled and playfully smacked my arm. "Ew, Briar! Don't talk with your mouth full."  
Before I could say anything to her Lucard made his way over and forced himself a spot in between us. "Ah, my two favorite girls!" He said as he sat down he pulled out two little gifts wrapped in pink cloth and handed one to each of us.  
when we opened our gifts Maria was given two small pearl earrings and I wondered how in the heck Lucard was able to afford that. As I opened mine it wasn't nearly as nice, but still very thoughtful. It was a card with silly drawings inside. Inside the card it read: thank you for being such an awesome friend. Keep up the great work and I know you will succeed!  
A dumb grin spread across my face. "Thanks, Lucard!" I didn't think I was that 'awesome' of a friend, but it was nice that he thought so.

As I made my way to my next class after lunch I was excited about seeing Jim, but he wasn't there. I stopped short at the door as I saw Captain Amelia sitting at his desk.  
When she felt me watching her she looked over at me and welcomed me into the class. "Good afternoon, Miss. Edwards. Please, take a seat."  
"Where is Mr. Hawkins?" I asked once I set my books on my desk.  
She paused for a second before answering me. "He is preoccupied at the moment. I will be taking his place today."  
Amelia was very good at hiding her feelings, but I could tell with the emotion in her voice that something else was up. I thought back to how she and Admiral Blake and the cops spoke with Mr. Langton. He had been gone from class ever since.  
When class started there weren't any jokes and soft chuckles that came from the class. This class was usually laid-back and easy going when Jim gave his lectures. He made it fun, but with Captain Amelia there were no jokes, just lots of questions and taking notes; she was far more serious, which was what I expected.

The moment class ended I took my time to gather my things and waited for the class to empty. I walked over to Amelia who stayed seated at the desk, looking over papers. She was mumbling to herself.  
I cleared my throat. "Ahem! Miss Amelia?" I wasn't sure what to call her at this moment seeing how she was a captain first and foremost, but acting as my teacher now, but not really a teacher.  
She looked up from grading papers. "Yes, Briar? What can I help you with?"  
"Is everything alright?" I asked.  
Amelia stared at me in silence for a moment and then stood up to close the door. When she returned she leaned back in her chair. "Do you remember any of the names on Silver's ship?"  
This surprised me. I wasn't expecting such a straight-forward question. I thought for a moment and then gave her the names that I could remember.  
Amelia crossed her arms, closing her eyes and sighing. "Kristoff and Scrapper, you say?" She opened her eyes to look at me. "We found Kristoff's body, but this Scrapper you speak of...we haven't come across him...yet."  
My shoulder's fell. "Did you say you found Kristoff's body?"  
Amelia nodded. "Did you know him well?"  
"A little..." I mumbled. Kristoff was nice to me. I was sad to hear that he was no longer with us. I had wanted to thank him for teaching me how to use the bow. "Do you know how he died?" I asked.  
Amelia seemed reluctant to tell me. "He was found strung up on a abandoned ship. It had been set ablaze and most of it resorted to charcoal." She paused. "A note—or rather—a warning was left behind with him."  
I gulped. "What kind of warning?"  
"A warning involving you."  
I pointed at myself. "Me? Why?"  
She pointed one, long clawed finger at me. "It didn't say specifically you, but we, the Captains, have a pretty good idea that the warning is about you."  
"What makes you say that?" I wanted to know. "What exactly did the note say?"  
Amelia gave me a soft sigh before opening a folder sitting off to the side. She handed me a crinkled and torn sheet of paper. It was sullied with burn marks and blood. I was careful not to touch any of the blood. The note read: there is no greater treasure than that of a living being who possess the ability and knowledge of a power so great that no amount of Flint's gold could ever compare. We seek the one responsible for this turn of events— this precious nobody who holds the truth. A forgotten language as been found again, the only language known to uncover the glorious jewels of a time that has long since been lost to us. Offer her to us and no one will suffer further casualties. Deny us and suffer the consequences.  
The letter was signed my Stickler himself.  
I handed the letter back to Amelia. "That can't be about me. I don't know any forgotten language or the truth about any treasure. I'm just me. I'm a college graduate with a bachelor's degree in science and history. I'm terrible at sports and I enjoy eating and reading. I'm not that interesting of a person." I could have gone on but Amelia got the gist of it.  
She gave me a small smile. "You're interesting, trust me, Briar." She leaned over the desk and clasped her hands. The bell dinged but neither of us cared. "What languages do you know?"  
He question caught me off guard but I answered her anyway. "Besides English, I know a bit of Spanish and Italian." I paused and then said, "I know a few phrases and sentences in Latin, but that's about it."  
Amelia's ears twitched. "Latin, did you say?" I nodded to her. "'Forgotten language'. That's what Stickler must mean." She stood up quickly. "Thank you, Briar. I appreciate you honesty." She wrote me an excused tardy slip and left the room before I could utter another word. Was I in some kind of danger? Surely Amelia would tell me if I was.

At the end of the day my mind was weary from all the thinking. I needed to rest. Lucard and Maria offered to take me out to the city, but I regretfully declined.  
When I made it back to my dorm I flung my bag to the side and heaved a heavy sigh. I took off my uniform jacket and then positioned my hands to my back and slipped them under my shirt to take off my bra. It was only when I undid the latch that I saw Jim sitting on my bed. I was silently screaming now. "J-Jim!...I mean, Jim. Hi." My face was heating up. My room was slightly a mess and I casually slid my dirty undies that were on the floor behind my tiny desk with my foot.  
He stood up with a vase full of exotic flowers. "I didn't mean to startle you." He handed me the flowers. "These are for you."  
Thankfully my bra had straps so I didn't have to worry about it slipping off, but it still felt weird. I reached for the flowers and sniffed them. "Thank you, Jim. These are really beautiful! And they smell amazing."  
Jim smiled. "Good. I wasn't sure what to get you."  
I thought to myself, Jim, you could present to me an empty box of chocolates and I'd still be happy. "These flowers are more than enough." I told him. And then I said, "Why weren't you in class today?"  
Jim stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Pirate business." He said.  
"Amelia told me about the warning." I came out and said it. I didn't want him to feel like he had to keep it from me.  
Jim sighed, hanging his head. "She wasn't supposed to tell you." He picked his up and looked at me.  
I sniffed the flowers again. "Don't you think I deserve to know about this?"  
Jim weakly nodded his head. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. I just didn't want you to worry. Pirate hunting is nasty business." He told me honestly.  
I nodded. "Trust me, I understand. And thank you for your concern." I set the vase on my desk and before I knew it Jim leaned in and kissed me on the cheek.  
"Happy Blue Day!" He said, smiling again.  
I touched my check, completely dumbstruck and eyes wide.  
Jim made his way to the door. "I'll be in class tomorrow. I'll see you then."  
"Right, of course. See you then, Jim." Once he left I flopped on my bed and melted into it as I lied on my back, still touching my cheek. The soft touch of his lips lingered and it left a sweet tingle. For a moment I forgot my problems; Jim was good at doing that.


	19. Brair's Special Day

Two months went by since Blue Day and I had studied my butt off in order to pass the first semester. It was spring break now and all students were allowed to go home and visit family. However, some chose to stay and continue their studies so that they were prepped for next semester. I on the other hand wanted to get back to the Benbow Inn as soon as possible! I missed Sarah and Ben and even Delbert, Elizabeth, Camellia and Delbert Jr. It had been four months since I last saw any of them.  
I would have gladly rode home with Jim, but he was busy chasing down pirates and making trips to near by planets to deliver goods. I took it upon myself to find my own way back to the inn. Sarah had enough to deal with so I didn't want to bother her with picking me up.  
It would have been nice if I could have used some of my allowance to get back, but we were not able to spend that money outside of the academy and I was forced to walk most of the way back. Thankfully a nice old cat lady offered to give me a ride the last couple of miles. Of course I took her up on the offer seeing as I was hauling my suitcase with me.

When I finally managed to make it back I found the inn busy as usual. Sarah was happy to see me but couldn't stop to give me a proper welcome as she was busy with customers, so she smiled and waved my way as she set a tray of food down. I waved back and made my way up the stairs and set my suite case to the side, happy to be done dragging it around. I lifted my arms and smelled myself. Phew! I had definitely worked up a sweat trying to make it back. I grabbed a fresh set of clothes and headed to the bathroom to start my bath. The cure to any hot day was a day spent at the pool or taking a cool bath. The unfortunate thing about living in a world that was technically "old fashion" meant that air conditioning was not a thing...yet. It was usually fairly cool in the academy seeing as the halls and rooms were made out of stone. But here at the inn with the oven being in use it got a little too warm; even with the windows open it was slightly uncomfortable.  
As the business started to die down and the last of the customers left I made my way downstairs feeling clean and fresh.  
Sarah walked up to me and gave me a hug. "I'm glad you're back. How is the academy going? Oh!" She backed off bit seeing as her apron had food stains. "Sorry, did I get you dirty?"  
I checked myself over. "No. All good here. And the academy is going to really well. Thanks for asking."  
"Are you hungry?" Sarah wiped her flower powdered covered hands on her apron. "I have some left over Octo ribs."  
Octo ribs? I thought. Even though it sounded really strange I was interested in trying it. "Sure, I could eat."  
"Okay! Take a seat and relax. I'm sure you're tired from all that studying." She ran into the kitchen to prep my dish.  
She was right. I was mentally exhausted.

While Sarah was gone I grabbed myself a seat and rested my head in my palm. When she returned the squeaking of the door was brought to my attention and I lifted my head. The plate of food was steaming and I could smell the spices. "Wow! That looks amazing!" I told her.  
"Thank you! Its a new dish I'm trying out. People seem to really like it. I hope you do too." She set the plate down and sat across from me.  
I started digging in right away. I wasn't so thrown off guard anymore when I came across something really weird when it came to food. I thought, what the heck! I'll try it! The Octo ribs looked like an octopus but in the shape of a lobster made to look like ribs that you would get at a steak house. It was very strange but the taste was amazing. There was just the right amount of sauce and spices. "I love it!" I told Sarah.  
Sarah clapped her hands together. "Oh good! I think I'll keep it on the menu then." She paused for a moment, a thoughtful look spreading across her face. "Briar?" she said.  
"Hmm?" I took a bite of my food.  
"How old are you again?"  
"Twenty-three," I answered her, and then I thought, oh shoot! I should have had a birthday! With everything going on at the academy I completely forgot.  
"When is your birthday?" Sarah asked me.  
I had to actually think about this one. "Uhm...I think it was last month."  
Sarah cocked her head to side in confusion. "You think? You don't know...?"  
I set my silverware down. "Well, Where I am from we use a different calendar."  
"Oh, I see. Where are you from then? I don't believe I have asked you this yet. I was afraid that it would be too soon the last we saw each other."  
I shook my head. "Don't worry about it. That's totally fine." Damn, I thought. What do I tell her? Had Jim really not told her about me? I was really at a loss for words.  
And just like the show "Saved by the bell", Jim came walking in. He had with him a large brown bag swept over his shoulder and a tired look on his face. "Hey, you two." He gave us a lazy wave and headed up stairs.  
Poor Jim. He must have been so tired from dealing with pirates. Was being a captain really that mind-draining.  
Sarah stood up then. "We'll save our conversation for a later time." She was about to turn around but stopped to say, "The inn isn't open tomorrow, so we'll have to do something for your birthday. I'll make you a really nice meal so think about what you would like. Oh! And a cake; let me know your favorite cake, too!"  
I laughed, feeling really happy that she was this excited. "It's okay, Sarah. You don't have to do all that."  
"Yes, I do." She insisted.  
I shrugged, going along with her. "Well, alright."  
She smiled. "Good. Talk to you in a bit."

When I finished eating I cleaned my own plate so Sarah didn't have to(Ben was off to the market to pick up some supplies).  
I ended up helping Sarah around the house and in the garden. We picked some fresh vegetables for supper, water the plants, folded the clean laundry. Surprisingly enough she never brought up the topic about where I came from. I was glad for that. I didn't want to have to lie to her or tell her the truth and potentially scare her.  
And this whole time Jim never came out of his room. I was beginning to wonder about him and how he was doing.  
By the time evening came the weather had cooled down and the open windows brought in a lovely breeze. I was helping Sarah and Ben put together supper when I noticed that Jim still hadn't come down yet.  
I think Sarah noticed this as well because she turned me and Ben and said, "Where is that boy?"  
"Jimbo?" Said Ben. "I think he's taking a nap."  
Sarah clicked her tongue. "Now he'll never sleep tonight." She turned to me and said, "Will you go wake him, please?"  
I set my spoon and mixing bowl down. "Sure.

I ran up the stairs, almost slipping as I did so but caught myself. When I reached the top and managed not to end my life by dying by stairs I walked over to Jim's bedroom door and knocked. I didn't knock too loudly at first as I didn't want to startle him awake, but he didn't answer, so I knocked louder. Still no answer. Finally, I opened his door a crack and a small breeze rushed past me. "Jim?" I opened the door more and poked my head inside. He was passed out on his bed. "Hey, Jim." I whispered loudly but he never stirred. I walked in and closed the door behind me. His window was open a crack, letting in a cool breeze. The flow of his curtains and the sound of the whistling wind brought a calm atmosphere to the room.  
There was just enough lighting in the room from the setting sun to see where I was stepping. His captains jacket and shirt and boots and even his belt was sprawled out across his floor.  
I whispered louder this time. "Hey, Jimbo!" I walked over to his bed where he was laying on his back and one foot hanging of the side of the bed. He was shirtless and my face got hot quickly. I'd never seen him without a shirt on. Oh my God, I thought. His body really was carved by the Greek Gods themselves(that's what I told myself anyway). I poked at him this time. "Jim, wake up." I said in a normal volume voice. I gave up trying to whisper him awake. "Jim!" Nothing. "Jimmy, Jim, Jimbo!" This time he moaned and mumbled something. I held a hand to my mouth. Aww so cute! I thought.  
When I contained myself I nudged him, trying my best to wake him. I mean, I could have started jumping his bed and shaking him and being incredibly loud and annoying, but I didn't want to wake him up to a "Bad" start. I went to nudge him again but he grabbed my arm and pulled me. I landed on his bed with a soft thunk as I fell beside him. He turned over in his sleep and rested one arm over me. When I tried to escape from his grasp he only held on tighter and scooted closer to me.  
My heart was racing! His face was inches from mine and his arm held me in place. I wriggled around, trying to free myself from this heavenly prison.  
At last I broke the tight grasp he had around my waist. I rolled over, his arm moving to find something else to hold on to. As I rolled his hands slid across my chest before I flipped over to my stomach and dropped off the side of the bed. I sat there hunched over on my knees, clutching my chest. His hand touched my boobs! I felt every single finger slid across them! I didn't know if I was dying from sheer excitement or embarrassment.

After gaining my composer back I stood up and grabbed one of his pillows. It shouldn't be this difficult to wake a person up! I thought. And I smacked him with the pillow.  
He picked his head up fairly quickly after that and looked up at me in confusion. "Briar?"  
"Oh good you woke up! Supper is almost ready."  
A smirk played across his face. "Okay. I'll be down in a second."  
I plopped his pillow back on his bed and walked out. Once I closed the door and leaned against it I took a breath. I had never been so happy to be in such an awkward situation in all my life. Before I had time to move the door opened up on me and I fell backwards. "Whoa!"  
Jim caught me. "Careful." He set me up right. "Were you waiting for me?" he asked.  
I shook my head. "No, just tired so I took a breather before heading back down."  
Jim moved past me and closed his bedroom door. "I see. Let's head down."

The rest of the evening was quiet. For supper we and slow cooked veggies, shredded beef with sauce and a fruit salad on the side. It was nice just having it be the three of us. We ate in silence with little conversation.  
"Briar had a birthday last month." Sarah mentioned.  
Jim looked at me, surprised. "Why didn't you say anything?"  
I shrugged. "I honestly forgot. I've been so busy studying..." My voice trailed off.  
"I told her we'll have to do something tomorrow in celebration of your twenty-fourth." Chimed Sarah. "Have you thought about what you want for dinner and what cake you would like?"  
I nodded to this. "I have. It would be nice if we could eat out somewhere. I think it would be a nice change to have someone else prepare a nice meal. There is no reason for you to work so hard. And as for the cake...an apple pie sounds better. Cakes are overrated." I stated.  
Jim laughed. "Cakes are not overrated. Where did you come up with that idea?"  
"Cakes are used for so many different occasions. Pie has a certain kind of homey touch, where as cakes don't."  
"She has a point." Said Sarah. "I'll make you an apple pie then."  
The table was quiet for the rest of our time eating and that evening when I headed off to bed I dreamed about what tomorrow be like. And even though I was happy about it, it made me a little sad because this would be the first birthday I'd spend without either of my parents. I had to remind myself, though, to make the most of it.

* * *

The following morning Sarah brought me breakfast in bed. It was pancakes with strawberries and maple syrup with an apple on the side and juice to wash it all down. After that I took a long relaxing bath and lathered my body in soap. I blew some bubbles into the air and watched them float down slowly. I hadn't taken a bubble bath for years it seemed like.  
When I finished I put on my best set of clothes and placed the glass butterfly in my hair. I was ready!  
"You look so pretty." Sarah complemented me as I walked down the stairs to meet her and Jim. "Doesn't she look nice, Jim?"  
Jim wasn't expecting his mom to include him in on this and stammered with his words. "Y-yeah! You look really nice, Briar." I felt like he wanted to say more but he wasn't going to in front of his mom, which was okay. I understood.

Thankfully the weather was fair and the light breeze made the usually unbearable heart...bearable.  
We went to cute little shops to look at all of the nick-knacks and even walked into a few book stores. Sarah offered to me things, but what she had done for me already was enough.  
"We're not leaving town until you pick something out." Sarah told me. I knew, that with the tone in her voice, I wasn't getting out of this situation.  
I didn't know what to pick though. I had everything I needed. Maybe I could stand for some new clothes? My wardrobe was a bit small. I eventually picked out a few skirts and dresses and a new blouse while I was at it and called it good. We had lunch at a cute cafe and I ordered myself a veggie sandwich with pickles and big fat potato fries on the side.  
We stopped in the street to watch a small band and Jim dropped some money into a bucket. The crowd wasn't very big but the band played all sorts of songs for us viewers nonetheless.  
At first Jim pulled his mother up from the crowd and danced with her. I smiled at them. They both looked so happy; Jim was a good son.

When Sarah had enough dancing Jim dragged me over and forced me to dance. I told him no over and over even though I was secretly happy about it. He twirled me around and led me from side to side to keep up with the beat of the music. He moved so fast and I along with him that I was afraid I'd fall over, but I never did. Only when it started to rain did the band stop playing. They gathered up their things and went on their way; we did the same as we headed back to the inn.  
As I sat in the carriage with Jim sitting in between me and Sarah(She was dosing off, tired from today), Jim pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to me. "For you," he said.  
It was a harmonica. As I took a closer look at it I noticed that it was the same one he played when I was first on his ship. "I can't possibly accept this." I told him.  
"Nonsense!" He told me.  
I blushed and held the harmonica up to my lips and blew softly. I smiled at the faint sound of music. "Thank you." I told him.  
Jim looked at me and said, "You're too modest, Briar."  
"Is that a bad thing?" I asked.  
"Not really. But I think if someone wants to do something nice for you, you should let them." He looked back up at the road.  
I nodded to this."You're right. I don't mean to act this way. I'm just not used to this."  
"To people giving you things?" Jim said.  
I shook my head. "To kindness from strangers. I mean, you're no stranger, but back at home I didn't have a lot friends. My parents were my best friends."  
"Ah, I see. Well, I hope we're best friends."  
I looked up at him, smiling a little. "Yeah,"

Later that night once the three of us had finished off the apple pie I retreated to my bedroom. I rummaged through my suitcase to read my alchemy book but it was nowhere to be found. I didn't think I put it anywhere else. Just to make sure I didn't I searched my room in all the places it could be, but I still couldn't find it. I was starting to panic. Did someone come by and steal it while the three of us were away? Surely Ben would have told us if something like that happened. A sinking feeling started to settle in the pit of my stomach. My alchemy book was nowhere to be found!  
I made my way over to Jim's room; I had to tell someone. "Jim...?" I knocked three times.  
When he answered he looked at me a little shocked. I guess he could see the worried expression on my face. "What's wrong?"  
"I have to tell you something important. I'm sure its nothing to worry about, but just in case..."  
"Sure, come inside." He stood to the side to let me into his room. "Tell me what's on your mind."  
The day had been so perfect, why did my book have to disappear? "There is something I brought with me from Earth." I started. "Silver told me not to show anyone."  
Jim took a deep breath. "Silver told you not to do a lot of things. What is it this time?" He wasn't irritated, just concerned.  
"I have—or rather—I had a particular book. It was about alchemy. I remember Amelia asking me what languages I knew and I told her. Latin was one of them. And then she said something about a forgotten language and walked off. That alchemy book has Latin in it. Do you think someone might have stolen it? I looked everywhere."  
Jim crossed his arms, serious now. "I wish you told me about this sooner."  
I felt a little ashamed. "I'm sorry. That book is my pride and joy, and I didn't want to risk having it taken away from me...Now look what happened."  
"Are you sure you looked everywhere?" I nodded quickly. Jim rubbed his chin. "Hmm. If someone broke into the inn while we were gone with Ben still here that is a serious problem."  
"It's my fault, isn't it?" I started to tear up. I was losing control of my feelings.  
Jim pulled me in for a hug; I buried my face in his chest. "I'll let the other captains know and we'll find your book. In the mean time I don't want you going into town by yourself. If my mom asks you to pick something up tell her I told you that its not safe because of the pirates. We haven't caught all them yet. In fact, I was a little worried about that today, but I wasn't going to spoil the moment by saying anything. I'm glad nothing happened."  
I pushed away from him a little, my hands lingering on his chest. "I promise I won't go into town." I brought my hands back to my side.  
Jim gave my shoulders a light squeeze. "Chin up, Briar. I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you. Do you hear me?" He lifted my chin with his finger and forced me to look at him.  
"I hear you." I said softly and wiped away a few tears that ran down my cheeks.  
That friendly smile returned to his face and he said, "Good. Now get some rest; spring break will be over before you know it." He reached for my ponytail and ran his fingers through my hair again. "Goodnight, Briar."  
"Goodnight, Jim."

I found it difficult to fall asleep that night. All different kinds of scenarios were running through my mind. What if Stickler himself broke into my room? I remember that look on his face when he first saw my book. It was when Silver and I were trying to escape the ship. Jim told me not to worry about it though, and I honestly tried not to. He would take care of me. And at last I fell asleep with that in mind


	20. I'm Still Here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on vacation in Florida at the moment. I wrote this on my iPad so the formatting might be a little funny looking. Sorry. Enjoy your read.

The following day Jim was called off to the city and Sarah was busy with the inn. Thankfully Ben was there(there were also those robotic policemen. They swarmed the outside of the inn keeping an eye out for any pirates). I wanted to help out but Sarah wouldn't let me. She told me, "You're on break. Enjoy your time off. Don't worry about the inn." So that's what I did. But I couldn't relax. I was too worried about my book, and I was sure Jim had already spoken to the other captains about it.I was pacing my room back and forth when a soft knock came to my door. "Yes?" I said.

The door opened and Camellia opened the door. "Briar?"

"Oh! Camellia? What's up?"

She walked the rest of the way inside my room. She was dressed in her best dress with ribbons in her hair. "I have a question..." I waited for her to speak. "Would you like to go shopping with us?"

"Us? Like-your dad and siblings?" She nodded quickly. I thought about what Jim told me; as long as I wasn't alone I should be okay. "Sure," I told her. "I'll tag along."

Camellia beamed a smile at me. "Great! We are all downstairs, so whenever you're ready." She told me and closed the door.

Before heading down I gussied up in the mirror just to make sure I didn't look like how I felt: a nervous wreck.

Delbert and his kids were just finishing up a quick breakfast as they were waiting for me. Sarah offered me some food but I was in no mood to eat.

"Shall we be off then?" Delbert said. All his children nodded at once. "Do you have everything you need, Briar?"

I nodded to him. "Last time I checked my head was still screwed on pretty tight."

Delbert grinned at this while the children giggled.

We were off then and we all road on a fairly large carriage with a snail like camel pulling us along. The animal moved at a fair pace along with rugged ground. The wheels were steady though so there was no need to worry about them breaking. It was rather odd to me. Some things were futuristic, while others seemed to be extremely old-fashioned. Even with how much money Delbert and his family brought they chose to do things the slower way. I wasn't going to complain. It was nice traveling at a regular pace and taking our time to get to our destination. It gave us the time to talk without getting distracted by the busy life of the town.

Delbert's family was so sweet. He and Amelia might have seemed like an odd pair, but they couldn't have been a more perfect couple. Their children were well behaved(occasionally) and were extremely smart. I had no doubt that they would join the Academy be excellent students.

When we arrived into town Delbert dropped his carriage off at what looked like a barn but it was made out of metal and clean.

"Stay together now." Said Delbert as his children ran around him, excited to be out and about. I was excited too. It was good for me to get some fresh air rather than staying cooped up in the inn all day.

We stopped at random shops and watched as the children picked things out to show their father. Delbert told them no most of the time but every once in a while he would tell them yes and they would jump for joy.

The last time I went shopping with my dad it was right before I left for the university. We were buying me clothes and various items that I would otherwise have a hard time finding in Europe.

"Do you have everything you need, Briar?" My dad asked me.

I was going through the lady section for select items on certain occasions. "Yes,"

My dad wasn't afraid to walk the aisle of fire when it came to that sort of thing. He shared a home with two girls for a the longest time. "I hope so. You have to catch an early flight tomorrow, so you won't have time to get these things before leaving, and the airport will charge you a boat size."

I stood up from my crouched position while looking at pads and went to check out.

And then the day finally came for me to leave. It was eight in the morning and my flight would take off in less than two hours.

"Have a safe trip. Study hard, study well, and don't forget to take a breather."

I rolled my eyes and smiled. "Yes, dad, I know." There was a pause between us before I opened the door to leave. "Your mother would be very proud of you." He suddenly told me.

Old familiar feeling found its way back to me and I held back my tears. "I know,"

My dad leaned in for a hug and gave me a kiss, his beard scratching my cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too, dad." I stepped out of the car and waved him goodbye. That was the last time I saw him; almost three years ago, but longer for him. I felt bad.

"Briar, what do you think of this?" Delbert Jr asked me as he held up a detailed Navy boat.

"Very cool," I told him. "Are you going to get it?"

He shook his head. "No, I have a few like it at home. I don't need another one, I just wanted to know what you thought of it."

I smiled at him. "Maybe some day you can show me these neat boats of yours?"

Delbert Jr seemed very happy to hear this. "Certainly! It would be my pleasure."

We hurried along to catch up with the others and continued on our way.

We soon came across a performance in the street. Two performers dressed in costumes spun around while their pets did flips and other tricks. It reminded me of being in Rome. There were countless people dressed in costumes for tourists to take pictures with. I was never interested in that sort of thing, but in this case I took the time to watch and enjoy it with the others.

Among all the laughing and cheering I heard a whisper. I itched my ear, thinking it was some kind of bug that might flown by my ear, but when I heard it again I looked back. No one was there. I brought my attention back to the performance and that's when I heard the voice more clearly. "Briar!" Whoever said my name tried to whisper as loudly as they could without yelling. I turned around again and still I saw no one.

Suddenly, a robotic arm stretched out and grabbed my arm, dragging me back into an alley. They held me up against the stone wall and clasped their hand over my mouth. "Shhh..." It was Silver!

As soon as he let me go and I said, "Where have you been? I thought you died!"

Silver gave me an apologetic smile. "Sorry, little bird. I got held up. I see you're doin' alright." He motioned his head toward the crowd and Delbert's family standing in the middle of it.

I wrapped my arms around him, trying to reach around as far as I could, but his big belly prevented me from getting all the way around. "I'm so glad you're safe."

Silver hugged me back. "Alive, yes. Safe? I's not so sure."

I Stopped hugging him and looked up at him in question. "What do you mean?"

"I's been back for a few weeks now and stayin' in hiding." He quickly explained.

"Silver, what's going on?"

He leaned in to whisper to me. "I's been watchin' ya ever since I got back. It wasn't very hard to find you."

"Watching me? Why wait till now to contact me?"

Silver cleared his throat. "In case you haven't been informed of this yet I'll tell you: pirates are not very welled liked in these parts. I's been needin' to keep a low profile. Contacting you while at the academy was extremely dangerous." I nodded, understanding. "Briar...Stickler is looking for you. It's not safe for you anywhere. I sure be surprised if his men weren't watchin' us now."

Hearing this certainly scared me and it sent shivers down my spine. "Why is he looking for me?" I wanted to know...I deserved to know.

"He wants t'use you as a map to get to Earth. He's looking for somethin'...somethin' dangerous."

"What? What is he looking for? Tell me, Silver." I glanced back at the crowd. The performance was just about over and I would soon have to meet back up with the others before they noticed I was gone, and I needed to get as much information out of Silver as I could.

Silver chose his next words very carefully and they scared me further. "The Philosophers stone." I was dumbstruck and stayed silent. "Stickler is lookin' for immortality. He wants t'use the power of the stone for his own selfish reasons and he will use you t'get to it." I gulped. "That special book of yours...do you still have it?"

I shook my head. "No, its missing. Someone took it right out my room at the inn." Silver cursed under his breath. "I told Jim about it. And speaking of him, he misses you."

Silver smiled sadly at this. "Aye...I bet he does."

"Come back to us, Silver." I pleaded.

Silver patted my head. "Mayhaps some day, little bird, but that can't be today. I'm sorry." He pointed at the crowd. "Looks like our time is up. Run along now."

Before leaving I said, "What will you do?"

"Staying in the shadows for now, and keeping an eye on you...to make sure you stay safe."

I gave Silver one last hug. "Goodbye, Silver. I don't know what I'd do if you died."

This time Silver smiled broadly at me. "Not to worry. Jimbo would do everything in his power to keep you save if anything happened to me. He's kind like that." He pushed me back into the crowd and disappeared into the shadows of the alley.

I made my way back to the performance and watched them take a bow. It was okay that I missed the last of it because now I knew that Silver was still here.

The rest of the day proceeded as normal and we had lunch and dinner with the five of them.

"Are you going to marry Jim?" Rose suddenly asked as we were finishing up our supper.

Delbert nearly spat out his drink. "Rose Doppler! I don't think that's an appropriate question." He turned to me and said, "I'm sorry, Briar."

I put up a hand to signal him that it was alright. I didn't say anything on the manner because I didn't want to press the topic further. Still, the thought of becoming Jim's wife was a guilty fantasy of mine. To become Mrs. Hawkins sounded nice. Important even. But I soon had to rid the idea from my mind and head back to the inn.

The children were finding it hard to stay awake and toppled over one another' shoulder and slept.

"How are you liking Monstressor?" Delbert asked me.

"I like it." I told him honestly. "Have you always lived on Monstressor?"

Delbert nodded. "It's not too bad of a place to grow up and live. There are worse places."

That much was true. I might not have been to a lot of places, but as far as I was concerned, Montressor seemed like a popular place to start a life and or family...if you had the right connections and worked hard.

Our conversation was soon cut short as we drove up to the front of the inn. I thanked Delbert for today and said goodnight to the sleepy children before heading inside(the policemen were still there).

"Did you enjoy your day?" Sarah was having a late supper.

I nodded, feeling tired now. "I definitely needed it."

"Did you eat with them then?" She asked me.

I nodded. "Yeah," I then added, "I'm going to head up to my room, if that okay with you. I'm pretty tired."

Sarah wasn't bothered by this at all but I still felt the need to tell her this. "Oh not at all. Goodnight, Briar."

"Goodnight, Sarah."

Before heading off to bed I washed up and cleaned all the dirt and grim off of me. After a busy day I had worked up a bit of a sweat. It was warmer today then the day before and all my short sleeved shirts were dirty, leaving only my long sleeved blouses.

I looked out my bedroom window after putting my nightgown on. I was brushing out the tangles in my hair as I looked out at the darkness before me. I was trying to see if I could spot anything suspicious, but all I saw were the lights from the policemen.

Stickler and his men were out there right now and Jim was doing everything in his power to find them and put them to justice. In other words...execute them. I didn't like the idea of anyone dying, but if Stickler wasn't stopped more people would get hurt.

I finally lied down. The day had wiped me out and sleep was calling my name. I had wanted to tell Jim that I saw Silver, but that would have to wait.

**Jim's POV**

After a long and excruciating day I finally made it back to the inn. It was half passed one and all lights were out. I was glad to see that the policemen were still there. I had ordered them to watch over the premises until further notified. They would stay there until I told him to leave. Keeping the inn and my family safe came first.

Naturally, everyone was asleep and I tip-toed to my room. Once I settled in I checked in on everyone, including Ben(maybe I was being paranoid for doing this, but I had to see if everyone was alright). Briar was the last I looked after before heading off to bed. I made sure not to wake her as she slept(was it bad for me to assume that maybe she was only pretending to be asleep? I know that I'm guilty of that. I can't come out and tell her what I really think because she's a student of the academy and I'm her teacher. A romantic relationship can't happen...at least not now. I wonder if she senses it too. For now I try to find subtle ways to be close to her...pretending to be asleep was one of those moments). I checked her room for anything strange and looked out the window. I saw nothing that posed as a threat.

I was about to walk out when I heard Briar say something. I thought that maybe I had woken her but when I looked back she was only talking in her sleep.

"Silver be safe..." She mumbled. "Stickler's...out there..."

Silver? Be safe?...Stickler? What was she trying to say? I was half tempted to wake her just to ask, but she looked to be in too deep of sleep and I didn't want to make her feel restless after.

"Stay," she said, still asleep, "here with me...Jim..."

I thought, I haven't gone anywhere, Briar. I'm still here...


	21. Vitam Aeternam

My time off from the academy was over way too soon. I did, however, manage to catch up on sleep and get some studying done. On the other hand, my book was still no where to be seen.  
As I sulked my way downstairs, suitcase in hand, I saw Jim standing as the bottom.  
"Are you ready?"  
I gave him a confused look. "What?"  
"I'm taking you back to the academy. Don't you remember talking about it last night?" He said it as a matter of fact.  
I thought for a second as I retraced my steps from the night before...

* * *

I was just finishing up with my bath when I heard a knock on the door. "Yes?"

"Oh! I was just wondering if you were still in there." It was Sarah, and she was waiting patiently for me to get out, so I hurried up.  
"The bathroom is all yours. Sorry I took so long." I told her.  
Sarah smiled kindly at me. "No worries, Briar." And she stepped inside.  
I finished drying off the rest of my hair and put the wet towel in the hamper. I felt so clean and my new pajamas were super soft. I had asked for a pair of pajamas with pants; my nightgown kept twisting around me during the night. I was so happy to have them.  
At that time I wasn't yet tired and walked into the small living room. I didn't feel like being alone in that room. Luckily Jim was there. About a dozen candles were lit and the window was open a crack to let in the cool night air. The fireplace was out, too warm for that anyway. Jim was sitting on the sofa reading a book. He hadn't noticed me walking in.  
I took a sat cross-legged on a chair sitting diagonal from him and stared at my hands. I would have loved to read my book, but it was gone and I didn't feel like reading anything else. Finally, a heaved a heavy sigh, not meaning for it to sound so dramatic.  
"What's wrong?" Jim looked up from his book.  
I shouldn't have been taken off guard by his question, but I didn't think he would say anything. "Nothing. I'm just thinking about my book."  
Jim closed his and set it on the nightstand. "Why are you sitting all the way over there? Are you scared of me, or something?" He grinned.  
I rolled my eyes and smiled. "I didn't want to bother you." Plus I was too shy to sit next to him.  
This time Jim was slow to ask, "Is there anything else bothering you?"  
I opened my mouth to answer him. I was going to say no, and then I remembered Silver. I hadn't told him yet. I didn't tell him at that moment, I never would. "I saw Silver." I said.  
Jim sat up straight, almost ready to jump for joy, but his face remained serious. "What? You did? When? How? And where?"  
I twiddled with my thumbs. "Two days ago in town when I was shopping with Delbert and the kids. I wanted to tell you sooner, trust me. I just wasn't sure how to."  
Jim leaned off the side of the sofa, resting his elbows on the armrest. "What did he say? Did he look okay? Tell me!"  
I had never seen this side of Jim before. He looked so eager, so hopeful. "He told me that Stickler has been around watching me. They all have; he has too. And he looked okay, from what I could see. I didn't have a lot of time to speak with him."  
Jim cursed under his breath. "So that nasty pirate, Stickler, has been around. I knew it! Where the hell has be been hiding?" He said that last part to himself. He then said to me, "Silver said that Stickler was watching you?"  
I nodded. "I think he still is...he and his pirate buddies."  
Jim relaxed some and he sighed. "Looks like you'll be driving to the academy with me tomorrow."  
I nearly blushed. "What?"  
"I don't want you being alone anymore. You need a roommate, too." He told me this as he stood up. "Is that okay with you?"  
I fought with myself to try and find something to say. "I...I guess so?"  
Jim smiled. "Good. Then its decided."

* * *

I came back to my senses and Jim was still waiting on me. "Oh...yes, I remember. Shall we get going?"  
"Just wait one second, you two." Sarah quickly walked toward us and handed us each a giant blueberry muffin. "Have some breakfast on the go."  
I took the muffin, sniffing it before taking a bite. "Mmm. That's really good. Thanks, Sarah."  
She smiled at us both. "All right. I'll see you two in a few months."  
My heart sunk a little. A few months? It must have been so hard on Sarah, being away from her son for long. Even if he managed to swing by for a visit...I could only imagine.  
As we headed out, Jim and I both finishing up our muffin, I wondered where on earth I would set my suitcase. "Uh..."  
Jim wiped the crumbs from his mouth before saying, "No worries." And he took my suitcase. He set it down a few feet away from the two of us. He then lifted the seat of his motorcycle and pulled out an oval shaped device with a few buttons on it. He pressed one, pointing it toward my suitcase, and a bluish-white light scanned my belongings. We waited a few seconds before my suitcase started to change in size and shrink, resulting to nothing but a cube. "There," said Jim. "Now it will fit." And he plopped it in the same place where he got the oval device.  
I pointed my finger. "Witchcraft!"  
Jim laughed. "Never seen anything like that before, huh?"  
I shook my head. "NO!"  
He laughed again. "Come one. We need to get going." He got on his bike and started it up.  
I was about to get on when he moved a few inches, making me stop. When I tried again he moved a few more inches. He did this a third time before I finally playfully smacked his arm. "Will you stop it!" I wasn't made though.  
Jim grinned. "Okay, I'll stop. And hey, you're not supposed to hit your teachers."  
I grinned back. "We're not at the academy yet. And as far as I'm concerned, until the bell rings, We're still on break, and you're not teaching."  
"Touche." Said Jim, and we were on our way.

I wasn't exactly thrilled to see the pillars of the academy come into view. I wanted to continue to stay close to Jim. Having my arms around him was something I was getting very used to...  
We zoomed by students were walking on foot. Lucard and Maria were one of them. When they saw us Lucard picked up his pace and started running; Maria followed close behind.  
When we reached the academy I got off first and then let Jim open the latch to the seat and grab my cube-sized suitcase and the oval device, and watched him return my suitcase back to its original form. I was baffled. Everything was still in place.  
"Driving fast on school property is not smiled upon." Lucard said once he had caught up. He was a little out of breath.  
"You're just too slow." Jim told him.  
Lucard gave him a sarcastic laugh. "That's so funny I almost forgot to laugh."  
I snorted, trying to hold back a laugh. I failed...obviously.  
"I'm glad to see you two getting along so well." Maria said once she caught her breath.  
"Ah, Maria," Jim said. "Just the person I wanted to see. Can I speak with you for a moment?" When Maria nodded he pulled her to the side.  
While he whispered to her Lucard scooted closer to me and asked, "What do you think their talking about?"  
I shrugged. "I don't know. My guess is as good as yours."  
The two quickly rejoined us and Lucard went back to where he was standing before.  
"Okay," said Jim. "I'll leave you three to get situated into your dorms. Good luck with semester." He got back on his motorcycle and left us.  
"What did you two talk about?" Lucard asked.  
Maria giggle. "That's a secret."And she walked on ahead of us.  
"What a minute. Maria!" Lucard quickly caught up with her.  
I was about to join them, but someone ran into me and I fell to my knees. "Ouch!" When I looked up I saw a cat girl hovering over me. She looked angry.  
"How dare you." She said.  
I picked myself off the ground. "What are you talking about?" I brushed the dirt off my pants.  
"Just because you get to ride with Mr. Hawkins to school and stay at his mother's Inn doesn't mean you have the right to be close to him."  
I grabbed my suitcase. "Excuse me?"  
"You heard me. Back off!"  
I laughed. Was this girl serious? "Okay, okay. Sorry I laughed. Actually, no, I'm not sorry. I didn't do anything wrong, so I don't have to apologize." She snarled at me, which only made me want to go on. "First of all: Mr. Hawkins and I are just friends. Two: his mother was gracious enough to take me in after I lost my father to pirates." Okay, that wasn't true, but I did lose Silver over a fight involving pirates...and Silver was as close as I got to a father-figure in the God-forsaken place. "And three: I'm just here to get an education so I can survive in this world. Now, I don't know why you're here, and I'm not going to pry, so I ask that you leave me the hell alone because I don't care about you...and I certainly don't feel like getting involved with your little problems. I have my own damn problems to deal with." I smiled at her. "Have a great semester!" And I walked away leaving her speechless.

It was a good hour before the first bell would ring and I headed to my dorm to return my belongings and get reevaluated with my surroundings. Silver said there were eyes on me-that pirates from all sides were watching me. Were they here now? I didn't know.  
When I opened the door to my dorm I was glad to be left alone and away from prying eyes...or so I thought. "Maria?"  
She was sitting at my desk. "Oh! Briar..." She stood up to greet me.  
"What are you doing in here?" I felt like I already knew the answer to that when I saw her belongings sitting in the room.  
She cleared her throat before continuing on. "Jim-I mean, Mr. Hawkins has asked me to be your new dorm roommate."  
I set my suitcase down. "I never had one to begin with."  
She smiled. "Well I'm happy to the first. Hopefully it stays that way." There was an awkward silence between us for a few seconds before she decided to talk more. "I'm sorry if I'm intruding."  
I quickly shook my head, putting up my hands and waving them gently. "No, it's fine. I'm just surprised...Do you want top or bottom?" I asked referring to the bunk bed.  
Maria scanned the bed for a second and then looked to me. "It was your room first. What do you want?"  
"I'll like the bottom. I don't like trying to climb down during the night when I have to pee."  
She giggled. "Okay, fair enough. I'll take top then." She turned and started going through he things. So did I.  
Once we were situated and about to head to class, I asked, "Hey, Maria...what were you and Jim talking about?"  
She paused for a moment and I thought for a second she wasn't going to tell me. "We were talking about you."  
I cocked my head to the side and raised a brow. "Me? Why?"  
Maria sighed. "He said you needed a friend, and here I am. We are friends, right?"  
I nodded. "Yeah..."

Classes went on as normal. During Jim's class I eyed him the whole time, trying to see if I could see a change in his behavior, but nothing. He had asked Maria to be my roommate. Did he tell her that pirates were watching me? No. He would never do something as risky as that. He did say that I needed a roommate, and having another person around at all times would make it hard for anyone trying to get at me.  
By the end of the day Amelia flagged me down in haste and ordered me to follow her. Surprised by her sudden appearance and the urgency in her voice I didn't argue; I couldn't even get out a word.  
I followed her into the principles office, but the principle wasn't there. Instead, I saw Kate, Admiral Blake and Jim. And sitting on the table was my book. I gasped, reaching for it and held it close to my chest. "Where did you find it?"  
"A terrorist." Kate informed me.  
My eyes went wide. "What?"  
Admiral spoke up. "A terrorist who was set up by Stickler. He's making his minions do all the dirty work." He held out a paper to me and I took it.  
One side was blank while the other had a drawing of a large black circle. The middle was untouched, while the outer part of the circle faded out until nothing but the white of the paper remained. "What is this?" I asked.  
"Its a warning." Jim said. "I final warning to a serious threat."  
I gulped. "Let me guess...I'm part of that threat."  
Amelia nodded. "Unfortunately, Miss Briar. We have a feeling the pirates want to kidnap you. They think that whatever they are searching for, you are the key to finding it."  
"So...They know about me?" I asked slowly.  
Jim shrugged. "Perhaps. They may not know exactly who you are, but what they are interested is your knowledge...of that book." He pointed at it.  
I looked down at it.  
"What can you tell us about that book, Briar?" Kate asked me.  
I flipped the book open and started reading the Latin words aloud. "Aqua vitae; Igne natura renovatur integra. Flectre si nequeo superos, Archeronta movebo."  
They stared at me. "What did you just say?" Jim seemed really impressed.  
I would have smiled if this were under different circumstances. "Water of life; he conquers who conquers himself. If I cannot bend the will of heaven, I shall move hell."  
"What does that even mean?" Asked Kate.  
"The book is talking about eternal life and the sacrifices that come along with it and destroying anyone who gets in the way, even if its heaven or hell."  
"I don't like that sound of that." Admiral Blake said, scrunching his nose.  
Amelia sighed. "So, the pirates are after eternal life." She scoffed. "How typical." A device started beeping on her side and she cursed. "I have to go. You three continue on without me and fill me in later."  
Admiral Blake sighed. "I should go as well. The main point of being here has been established, and I have many things to do." And he left soon after.  
Kate then approached me. "Can you read more?"  
I nodded and read another sentence. "In Vino Veritas...In wine there is truth. Fortis fortuna adiuvat...fortune favors the brave."  
Kate put the meaning behind those words herself. "Don't spoil your mind and let secrets out...and be brave, because in the end its worth it."  
I nodded. "Close." I Told her.  
She sighed. "You're quite the person, Briar. Stay safe." She gently squeezed my shoulder and said goodbye. Now it was just Jim and I.  
"Is there anything you want to know?" I asked him.  
He stared at me for a moment, studying my face, and then said, "Can you tell me something about the stars...in Latin?"  
I nodded to him. "Astra inclinant, sed non obligant...the stars incline us, they do not bind us."  
Jim smiled. "I like that." He stood close to me now. "Mr. Langton was a spy." He suddenly told me. "He admitted to stealing your book and giving it to the pirates."  
I gasp. "What..?" I would have never guessed. "Odreint dum metuant...let them hate so long as they fear."  
"I like that, too." Jim said, standing even closer now. "One day at a time, Briar." I wasn't sure what to say to him, so I let him do all the talking. "Those pirates won't touch you. I will do everything in my power to make sure that never happens." I stayed quiet, closing my book and holding it close to my chest again. "How do you tell someone you care about them in Latin?"  
I was a bit taken off guard when he asked me this, but I answered him nonetheless. "Te amo..." It was the only affectionate words I knew in Latin."  
Jim smiled again..."Te amo...That's easy enough."  
I smiled back. "I can teach you."  
Jim stood up straight now, taking a step back from me. "Maybe someday. Better get back to studying. This semester is going to be harder than the last." He opened the door and let me through, locking it behind him. "I'll see you tomorrow." And we walked off in opposite directions. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. I was busy publishing my first book. Its called secret of Epping forest. Here is the link to it: https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Epping-Bridget-Kathleen-Pueppke/dp/0692142878/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1530765637&sr=1-1&keywords=secret+of+epping+forest  
> Its a real place in England. The book has romance and mystery in it. I hope that you will take a look at it. My editor and I worked very hard on it. My illustrator also did a fantastic job!  
> I know I make writing mistakes in my fanfics, but I'm not exactly trying. I've spent a lot of time trying to perfect my book. I first wrote it in 2011 and rewrote it in 2017. Please click on the link. You may just really like what you find.  
> Being a well-payed author is essentially what I want to do in life. Please help me make that happen. If you buy the book and you really love it, show your friends and family.


	22. Just Like Everyone Else

I was sleeping peacefully when my alarm clock scared me awake. I mumbled a curse under my breath and slapped the damn thing, making it stop. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and sat up. There I saw Maria sitting at my desk wide awake and sipping on some tea.  
"Good morning. I brought some tea and coffee and food from the cafeteria for breakfast."  
I sat up slowly, yawning. "I thought we weren't allowed to take food out of the cafeteria?"  
Maria smiled mischievously at me. "I have my ways of swindling things."  
This surprised me. I had never seen Maria act out of order. She seemed like a very poised girl. I guess I had a lot to learn about my new roommate.

Once I washed up and got dressed I had thirty minutes before I had to head to class and I scarfed down a bagel with cream cheese, fruit and washed it down with some coffee. I was ready now, feeling rejuvenated, especially after getting my book back. I still kept it in my suitcase only this time I had a pad lock to keep everything in check. And now that Mr. Langton was gone I didn't have anything to worry about.  
My classes proceeded as normal. I was getting the hang of how to use guns; clean them, take them apart and reload them quickly. I never saw myself doing this, so at first I thought myself incapable of doing such a thing. Yet, here I was.  
"Well done!" My teacher praised me and it left me feeling really good about myself.  
Physical fitness was getting easier, too. And that stupid bird girl started letting off on me finally. Not only was I changing as a person, but so was my body. I was getting more toned, yet my curvy figure remained, and I was okay with that. I was stronger and faster...in almost everything concerning my classes.  
Sometimes I found myself forgetting about pirates and the fact that I was no longer on earth. It was like my mind was in "tunnel vision" mode. As long as I kept myself busy, the outside world didn't scare me. But then there would be those late nights where I would toss and turn after Maria had fallen asleep. I'd silently cry...missing my parents. I wanted to tell my dad how sorry I was for leaving him, even if I had no control over it.  
Tonight was one of those nights and finally I couldn't take it anymore. I got up as quietly as I could and left my dorm. Being this upset usually left me hungry and the cafeteria usually had snacks kept out for anyone who got the munchies. Those snacks were allowed to be taken from the cafeteria.

As I made my way there, passing the robotic policemen Patrolling the academy I stopped suddenly. I could hear voices from around the corner. I pressed my back to the wall and listened in on the conversation taking place.  
"You're getting too caught up with that girl. If you want to remain a teach here, treat her like the rest of the students." It was the principle, but who was he talking to?  
"I understand." It was Jim.  
"The finals will be here soon. If you want her to succeed you will have to treat her the same. If this keeps up how do you expect her to handle a situation on her own if there is always someone there for her?"  
"Briar is smart. She survived an attack against pirates with no experience." This made me smile. "That's saying something about her character. There are few people who have survived gruesome pirate attacks."  
I heard the principle sigh. "Are you saying Miss Edwards is a natural?"  
"I'm saying she has a gift. She's is a survivor; a fighter."  
No matter how much I wanted to stay and listen to mo of their conversation, I knew that it was best that I leave before I was caught. I got myself a small of fruit to hold me over and then quickly retreated to my dorm. Maria was still fast to sleep and I sneaked back in without a problem. I had a feeling the academy was going to get tougher. Tomorrow was a new day, and I was going to face it headstrong.

I did see a change in Jim's behavior. It would have bothered me more if I hadn't overheard his conversation with the weren't exactly harder, but I did miss our little moments together, especially our little talks after class. Today, though, during our lesson with solar surfers, we would be practicing on our own. It was high time that we did considering during finals there would be a race. Right now we were doing the basics: getting ourselves steady and used to all the controls and seeing how fast we could go before loosing control. I wasn't the worse, thankfully, but I wasn't a pro either. I had a lot to learn still.  
"Keep at it, Briar." Jim would tell me. "You'll get there soon."  
I could tell he wanted to say more, but I understand why he held himself back. It wasn't like he put all his attention on me. He treated all of us students equally. But there was something bothering him too. My best guess was that he was dealing with more pirate business. I shuddered while flying my solar surfer, thinking back in the wording Stickler gave us on the piece of paper. It was a final warning before something bad would happen.  
I tried to think what my dad would do in this situation: he would probably set up some kind of mater booby trap. I wasn't nearly as smart as my dad, though, and I didn't like hurting people. I guess that was my biggest problem. All of us students here would eventually come to the realization that we will have to kill pirates...  
Was I ready for something like that?

When class finished and the students were gathering up their things to leave Jim stopped me. This surprised me.  
"I need to talk with you for a second. It won't take long."  
I glanced over at Lynn who was waiting for me and told her to go on ahead of me. "I'm listening." I told him.  
Jim took a breath before continuing. "I'm going to away for a while. A sub will take my place for both classes."  
"More pirate troubles?" I said.  
Jim nodded. "Yeah. It never ever seems to end." He paused for a second. "Briar?"  
"Yes?"  
A silly little grin spread across his face. "Never mind. It's not important."  
I glanced at the door. I knew I needed to leave to get to my next class, but my feet were rooted to the floor. "Jim...you don't have to worry so much about me. Besides, I have Maria with me almost all the time. She's a great roommate."  
A look of relief washed over his face. He seemed more relaxed now. "That's good to hear.  
"May I go now, Mr. Hawkins? I don't want to be late."  
"Ah right. Of course. Yes, you can go now."  
As I made my way to the door I stopped before opening the door. "When will I see you next?" I couldn't help but ask.  
Jim seemed a bit pleased that I was interested in knowing. "Soon, I hope."  
Soon he said...How soon would that be? Please, Jim, be safe! I would loose my mind if I lost you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your comments are greatly appreciated. A review is food for the writers soul.  
> I also published my very first book a few days ago. Here is a direct link to it: https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Epping-Bridget-Kathleen-Pueppke/dp/0692142878/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1530941823&sr=8-1&keywords=secret+of+epping+forest  
> If that doesn't work, here is the ISBN: 978-0692142875  
> Also, the plot:   
> It’s early summer as young Rose Fair travels to England from California with her parents. The house where she is staying has many secrets, and so does the forest behind it. Unfamiliar with rural life, Rose quickly becomes enchanted–and most of all curious–as she stumbles upon a secluded mansion. The residents, Edmond and Thackeray, don't seem to be from the area. They don't even seem to be from this era! Rose unravels their secret but then must choose whether she will stay or go. And she has just until summer’s end to decide.
> 
> If you like my writing style you may like my original stories too.   
> This book as romance(implied sex), angst, fluff, mystery and ghostly things. If you like all of those things, it may be worth checking out!


	23. The Chase

"I love your long hair, Briar." Jim walked toward me and ran his fingers through my hair. It sent shivers down my spine, the hairs on my arms standing up. "Keep growing it out." He told me.  
"O-okay." I tried not to blush but it was futile. My face flushed against my will.  
Jim smiled, his face inches away from me. "What's this? Are you getting nervous, Briar?" I didn't say anything. "Briar...Do you like it when I say your name?...Briar?" His face mere centimeters away from mine. I held my breath and then...  
I woke up.  
I was dreaming again. It had been two weeks since substitutes had taken over Jim's classes. And for almost every single night I had dreamed about him in one way or another. This time it was a flirtatious dream.  
"You squirm a lot in your sleep. Has something been bothering you?" Maria asked as she finished putting her hair up. "You may want to get up. Class is in twenty minutes." She was putting on her boots now.  
I groaned. "Ugh...no. I want to keep sleeping. This sucks!" I stretched before getting up, despite my hate for the early morning and the fact that my tummy was already rumbling. I rubbed my tired face. "Why Lord must I suffer this way?" I said that more to myself than to Maria.  
Maria laughed a little. "You'll make it. See you in class!" And she left.

I forced myself to leave my bed and get dressed, complaining the entire time by mumbling to myself. When I finished I grabbed my things and headed to class. Being that this was the second semester and only two months left until finals, the teachers hounded us more than usual. There wasn't exactly more homework, but I could definitely feel the pressure. I took more notes, I studied more(even during lunch) and watched what I ate. It wasn't much different than from university. In fact, this was almost easier, only this was a whole new field in which I was studying. Still, I knew how to study and take good notes.  
While I was practicing on the solar surfer, we were told that we would be going through an actual course. Meaning: we would be tested on how we would essentially do during a race. The teacher might not have told us those exact words, but I knew in my gut that a race was something we would all have to go through for the finals.

For the racing course we left the academy grounds, which made me a little worried considering Stickler was still out there being out in the open made me more vulnerable. I tried not to think about that, though, and focused on the course.  
Everyone took off at different times. As for me, I took my time. I wanted to make sure all my gears were set in place, my footing was right, and also to make sure nothing was loos. Thankfully everything was in working order and I took off without a problem.  
The course was easy at first. I was mainly going up and down to avoid objects but then it became more complicated and I found myself swerving this way and that. I did try to pick up my speed just to get used to the fact that I would eventually be going at an uncomfortable speed in the finals. It made me happy to see that I wasn't struggling nearly as much as others. That gave me hope.  
By the end the course got crazier. So crazy, in fact, that I thought I would crash and severely hurt myself, but I never did. I managed to finish the course without bumping into anything.  
"Well done, Briar." My teacher said, marking my score on a pad. "Next time go faster. Don't be afraid of your skills." And he walked off to talk to a few other students who were just finishing up.  
"Maybe you can't go faster because you weigh the solar surfer down?" A snobby dog-like girl said regarding my weight.  
I scoffed. I wasn't fat...just pleasing plump(not even really that!). Maybe if I didn't have to wear this tight and bulky chest guard. That's the only thing I could think of to weight me down. And besides, all these young girls were just too skinny, in opinion.  
Lynn walked up to me. "Ah, don't listen to those people." Her tongue was sticking out the side of her mouth. She had finished before me.  
The dog girl put her hands on her hips, heading leaning to one side as she narrowed her eyes at us. "Make sure you clean your solar surfer off, Lynn, before others use it. No one likes frogs leaving their gunk behind!" And she stormed off.  
Lynn laughed and wiggled her fingers at her. "Bye bye!" She said.  
Thank goodness for Lynn. I wouldn't know what to do without her.

As the day went on, coming to an end, I was struggling to keep up in fitness class. I wasn't getting tired or anything, but my hair kept getting my way. Even with it being in a ponytail it got in my face at the most inconvenient times possible. I bared with it though and tried my best to not really bother me. I knew I would have to do something about it eventually. I tried putting it in a bun but even then it became undone and I'd have to fix it. I think I might have had the longest hair in class. I usually got a trim every couple of weeks...and it had been months, my hair reaching to nearly my bottom.  
When class ended I was sweating. I didn't even want to lift my arms because I knew that I smelt bad underneath. Unfortunately I had to in order to strip myself from my drenching gym clothes. A shower was in order. And as I got myself ready, standing in my sports bra and panties, I glanced over for a second and saw my reflection. Why there was a fully body-length mirror in the locker room I knew not, but to see myself in such little clothing while being surrounded by girls who were so much fitter than I made me feel...sick to my stomach. I had stared back at my goofy reflection for years, but to do it while prettier girls(I thought) were around me...I just didn't like the results. Perhaps my slightly bulging belly was no big deal. Perhaps my somewhat patted arms and legs was seen as not a big deal. But to me...at that moment, I couldn't stand it and it nearly made me cry.  
I wanted to be perfect; for others; for myself; for Jim...Mainly for him. I never cared so much until I met him.  
I finally got into the shower and washed the sweat off my body. I let the water run down my body for a couple of minutes before getting out. Even as I turned off the water I listened in to see if anyone was still in the locker room. When the last person left I stepped out and dried myself off, putting on more comfortable clothing before heading back to my dorm.

When I reached my dorm Maria had left a note for me explaining that she had gone out with Lucard for the evening. I was a little jealous of them. I'd never had a sweetheart, at least not in the way I would like. I guess Jim was my sweetheart even if he didn't know it.  
As I sat on my bed brushing the tangles out of my hair my stomach growled. There was an apple and pear on the desk from this morning that I skipped out on eating for breakfast, so I had that for supper.

The sun finally set and by this time I was sitting on my bed reading my alchemy. I was taking a short break from studying to refresh my mind. It was at that moment I knew the solution to my problematic hair: I was going to cut it.  
I set my book down and walked over to the dresser where I pulled out a drawer and grabbed a pair of scissors. I walked to the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. I took a breath. What was I so nervous about? I had cut my dad's hair many times before and sometimes even my own if I couldn't afford a hairdresser to do it. Maybe the reason behind that was because Jim liked it long. What would he think about it being short? Would he hate it? I couldn't let that thought get in my way though. What if my hair caught on to something and I got hurt? I had heard about accidents where women with long hair got it caught in a machine or tangled. I grimaced as the thought of my hair being ripped from my scalp crossed my mind. I didn't want to risk that happening. It was decided then: I would cut my hair right here and now. I lifted the first strand of hair, clipping it off, and then moving on to the next. Strand after strand I let them fall in the sink and on the floor around my feet.  
 _Snip snip.  
_ And then I was done. My hair resting just a few inches past my chin. The curls seemed even more out of control as there was no length to hold them down any longer. I turned my head from side-to-side. It wasn't bad, but I was left in shock to see the outcome. The last time I had this short of hair was before my mom passed away. Seeing myself this was brought me back to a pleasant time in my life. It was then when I heard Maria return from her excursions with Lucard. My heart thumped. What would she think?

I walked out of the bathroom slowly after cleaning up all my hair and saw that she was rummaging through he clothes to find something to sleep in. "Briar, could I borrow a shirt? I think all my pajama shirts are dirty. I've been so busy I haven't had time to do laundry." She hadn't looked up at me yet.  
"Sure." I told her, and I walked over to my dresser and pulled something out for here. "Here you go."  
She stood up straight, taking the shirt. "Thanks." She turned only to stop and quickly avert her attention back on me. "What did you do?!"  
"Does it look bad?" I asked.  
She shook her head. "NO! But...why?"  
I shrugged. "It kept getting in my way."  
"Surely you didn't have to cut that much?" She said this as if I could just re-attach parts of my hair.  
I laughed nervously. "Its only hair. It'll grow back."  
She slipped off her clothes to put on her pajamas. "What about Mr. Hawkins?"  
I was taken aback by her sudden question. "W-what about him?"  
She finished dressing and rolled her eyes at me. "Oh, please. You like him."  
I blushed. "I do not!" I protested.  
Maria laughed. "Stop denying. I can totally tell."  
I slumped forward. "Is it that obvious?"  
Maria took a seat at the desk and started brushing her hair. "No. I'm just good at reading people's body language."  
I was curious now. "And what does Jim's body language tell you?"  
Maria grinned at me. "Do you really wanna know?" I nodded eagerly. "Hmm. I think he likes you...but I'm not sure if its in the way you are hoping for."  
I grumbled and flopped on my bed. "I knew it! There's no hope for me at!" I wined.  
Maria laughed. "I never said that he didn't. You're a student, Briar. Of course Mr. Hawkins can't make any moves on you. Even if they are subtle ones. People are always watching, like me for example." She giggled. "And for the record, I think you look really cute with short hair."

The next day as I was going through my classes people made little comments about my hair. They either didn't care or they liked it enough to let me know. Either way, I was feeling better about my decision to chop it off. As I turned to enter my next class I stopped dead in my tracks. I saw Jim sitting at his desk, his head down as he looked over at some papers. I didn't want to back out because there were already students in the room, and I didn't want to make myself obvious that I was now suddenly nervous being in Jim's presence.  
I gingerly walked over to my desk, trying hard to make my footsteps as light as possible. What was he doing back?! I thought he was busy with pirate business. I wasn't ready for him to see me like this!  
And then, he looked up, scanning the room. More kids were piling in at this point and he checked them off in his attendance book. I tried not look at him. I didn't want to see the look on her face when he finally noticed me. But I was too curious to know what his expression would tell me. I thought that maybe if I looked at him for just a second it would be enough to know, and short enough so that he wouldn't notice me glancing at him. I could play it off casually.  
Unlucky for me we locked eyes at the same time. I was unable to look away; like he held a spell on me, keeping me from looking away. My face was stiff as I tried to act naturally. Like, oh there's nothing wrong! I totally didn't do anything drastic with my hair! What's there to stare at?  
He looked down at his attendance paper and jotted down what I guessed was my name and then looked back up at me. It was hard to read his expression.

All throughout class Jim seemed distracted by something, and I couldn't tell if it was because of my hair, or something else. Even as I walked up to his desk to hand him my work his mind seemed elsewhere.  
"Thank you, Briar." He said as he gave me a small smile, and then went back to reading something that looked important. I felt bad for him. If I was in his shoes I'm sure I'd be in a foul mood. I had to hand it to Jim as he seemed to keep everything together so casually. Is this what it meant, what it implied to be a captain? All this work? All these problems? When did the job finally become satisfactory? Maybe he liked staying busy.  
Even in my next class as we were practicing on the course. He flew along a few of us students and made sure that we were okay.  
"How is everything, Briar?" he asked me as he flew up next to me.  
"Oh, not too bad. I'm really getting the hang of it."  
Jim smiled. "Yeah? Can you go faster?" he asked.  
I grinned and pressed my foot down further, picking up speed. For a while there we were racing, and then he slowed, turning back to check on other students. I was left to my accord after that. It was really nice be checked up on and a little more interaction with him.

I was nearing the end of the course, doing better this time around than the last. A few students had made it before me, but that was okay because I knew I wasn't going to be last. And then from the corner of my eye I saw someone on a poorly put together hover craft. They were up on a cliff and too far away for me to get a good look at them. They stayed at my speed as if they were watching me. Just when I thought that there was nothing to worry about I saw them come down from the cliff and drive at me with incredible speed. I floored it, trying to put a decent distance between us, but still they followed. And the closer they got the sooner I noticed that it wasn't a teacher gaining on my heels, but a pirate!  
I zoomed past the students standing near the finish line, the pirate still chasing me. I was going too fast to notice if anyone else noticed what was going on. I glanced back for a second to see a fiery redhead flying the hover craft. He wore steampunk goggles and thick brown leather gloves. I turned around just in time to miss a giant boulder and maneuvered around it in an ungraceful manner, nearly falling off. My foot slipped, dropping my speed and allowing the enemy to catch up to me. After gaining my balance I looked back again to try and getting a better look at my pursuer. I noticed one peg leg push down on the peddle. Scrapper? That half-pint was still alive? Why was he chasing me? It suddenly occurred to me that Scrapper could very well be sided with Stickler and a lump was stuck in my throat. Maybe he really did intend to kill me when he pointed that gun at me?  
On the plus side I could see Jim catching up fast, but not fast enough as something opened up behind Scrapper's hover craft: a metal hook stretched out toward me and latched around my waste. I tried to hold on to my solar surfer but I was pulled from it and I watched it crash into the ground. The hook was extremely uncomfortable and I was dangling dangerously from it. If I fell there was a good chance of be getting killed, so I had no choice but to hold on for dear life, and I was plopped into a glass cage behind the hover craft. It locked on me and no matter how much or how hard I banged on the glass I could not free myself. I couldn't believe I was being kidnapped!

Jim was not far behind and I watched he pulled out a gun and fired it. Yes, I thought. Shoot him down! Scrapper fired back, though, and Jim was forced to swerve this way and that. Although, there was a barrier around Jim and his solar surfer, so whatever shots did potentially hit him it was deflected by the barrier.  
Finally, Jim got a lucky shot. I noticed our speed decline, and as we started coming to halt the hover craft skid across the uneven rocky ground, making it incredibly bumpy. Its going to be okay now, I thought. Jim is going to save me and Scrapper will be taken away. That's what I would have liked to have happen, but instead the glass cage was detached from the hover craft and I went in a completely different direction. For a few seconds the sound inside the cage hurt my ears from all the sliding and then it was silent, air whistling now, and that's when I noticed I was free falling. I had slid off the cliff and into a lake that was resting below. The glass cage started to fill up with water as I sunk further and further into the deep lake. It was getting darker, too. Now I was really scared. Was I going to die here? The thought of drowning terrified me.  
I continued to bang on the glass, knowing that it was useless, but I knew I couldn't give up to easily. And then, I took a breath, my glass prison filling with water and my tears going unnoticed.  
Ten seconds...Twenty...Thirty...forty...One minute.  
I was struggling now.  
Just before losing consciousness I noticed a blurry figure swimming down toward me. I think it was Jim but it was a little to dark to properly see, plus I about to pass out.

**Jim's POV**

I shot down the enemies craft and watched as it and Briar separated and went in opposite directions. My main concern was Briar, so I had to leave that damned pirate before now and go after Briar. I was just a few seconds away, but I knew that with the speed she was traveling at, she would drop with incredible speed.  
As I neared the cliff and went over the edge I flew after her at full speed and jumped from my solar surfer a few second before hitting the water and dived in, letting the solar surfer drop without a care. I delved deeper and deeper into the lake, watching her sink faster than I could ever hope to catch up to. At last I saw her stop, as the glass cage she was held captive in hit the bottom.  
When I finally reached her she was close to losing breath and I knew I had to act fast. I took my gun and shot at the lock. The latch popped open and I pried it open just enough to slip her out. By this time was passed out and I panicked.  
I barely made it to the surface as I was losing my breath, gasping for air as soon as my head reached above water. I held Briar close to me as I took her to land. I laid her down as comfortable as I could and immediately started resuscitating her. I was getting nowhere. Finally, I took the thick knife from my boot and cut at the vest she was wearing. I ripped it open, tearing her shirt in the process. I took the vest completely off and pressed down on her chest and then put my lips to hers for the fourth time.  
"Come on, Briar! Don't quit on me!" She was unresponsive to me and my heart sank. The sudden realization of losing her almost brought me to my breaking point. I struggled to keep my composer as I pressed down her chest again. I stared down at her in determination. I didn't want to think about it would be like to never see those curious eyes again, or hear her quirky laugh. I pressed my lips to hers again, giving her everything I had. And then, as I pressed down on her chest one last time water shot up from her mouth and air returned to lungs.  
She gasped, coughing on air. It was a few seconds before she started breathing normally again. And as I held her in my arms it was then that the police came. Amelia was with them and I happy to see her.  
I wouldn't let anyone take her away from me and I carried her in my arms as we made our way to the hospital.

**Back to Briar's POV**

I struggled to open my eyes. My whole body was in pain and my throat and eyes stung. Where was I? I was confused as I tried to comprehend what happened. I sat up slowly as I was somewhat dizzy and contemplated my surroundings. I was in what looked like a hospital room and Jim was slumped forward on a chair sleeping. I didn't want to wake him, but I wanted to know what happened. I tapped gently on his arm. His head shot up and I jumped back, wincing in pain as my body cold not handle any fast movement.  
"Briar?" I could tell with his expression that was really worried. "Are you okay? How are you feeling?"  
I was slow to answer him. I wasn't sure if my voice could handle talking, so I whispered. "I'm okay. What happened?"  
Jim sighed with relief. "You were almost kidnapped. I saved you from drowning. I thought I lost you."  
If I wasn't in such a daze I might have blushed. Instead I smiled, resting my hand on top of his. "But you didn't. I'm still here and its all thanks to you."  
Jim smiled back at me, taking my hand and grasping it with both of his. "I'm sorry. I know the danger that you're in and I chose to deal with other matter rather than keeping my eyes on you. If I wasn't there today..." He couldn't finish his sentence.  
"It's okay." I whispered to him. "Its not your fault."  
Jim bowed his head, shoulders slumped forward, and he pressed my hand against his head. "Can I be honest with you about something?"  
My heart started to beat fast. "Of course you can." I told him.  
It was a moment before he answered me and when he did he looked up at me, shoulders still slumped over and my hand resting on his lap now. "I wish you weren't a student."  
I don't know why but this made me really emotional and I felt hot tears run down my cheeks. It made me really happy to hear him say this. What else was he holding back? I wanted to know so bad!  
And just when I thought I thought he was going to say more on the topic, he didn't. Instead he said, "You are excused from all classes for the next week and you will be given as much time as you need to catch up. Until then you will stay here. Don't worry, I'll check up on you everyday."  
Before I could answer him the Delbert came in and he kindly shooed Jim away so he could do check-ups on me without any distractions. I kept my gaze on him until he disappeared behind the door.  
"That was a close call." Delbert told me. I didn't say anything. "I'm glad you are safe." He checked my breathing, scanned my body as I lied flat on my back and then gave me something sweet to drink.  
"I feel like a burden." I told Delbert.  
He looked at me shocked. "Why?"  
"I make trouble for everyone..."  
Delbert shook his head. "Nonsense!"  
"...But its true..."  
Delbert lifted my chin to look at him. "Now you listen her, Briar Edwards: you are no burden to anyone. Before you came around Jim was constantly sulking about. His attitude has changed after meeting you...and for the better."  
"Really?"  
Delbert nodded. "Yes. Maybe after you graduate from the academy, and you will...maybe you two can become closer friends." I turned my head and looked out the window, afraid that Delbert would see me blushing. He stood up then. "I'm done for now. I'll come back in a few hours once you have had something to eat. For the time being get some proper rest, and don't worry about the academy." And he left the room.  
Let's say I did graduate. What then? Would I live long enough to have a romantic relationship with Jim? What if the pirates never stopped hunting me? Would Jim get tired of protecting me? I touched my lips...they were tingling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoozah! I live for reviews!


	24. Visitors

Hospitals. I hated them. The very word made me nervous. They held nothing but bad memories for me.  
"Mommy, when can you come home?" I remember by young self asking.  
My mom nodded sweetly at me. "Soon, I promise." What was she to tell me? The truth? The truth was: she was never going to come home.  
I woke up from my dream about the past and stared up at the white ceiling until I saw someone at the corner of my eye. At first, I thought it was Jim, but his hair was little bit darker and his shoulders not as broad.  
It was Lucard. He was hunched over, sleeping at the foot of my bed with his head resting on his arms. And then he stirred in his sleep, waking up and rubbing his tired eyes. "Oh, hi, Briar." He yawned.  
"What are you doing here?" I asked him.  
He gave me funny look. "What am I doing here? I thought that would be obvious. I came to check up on you."  
I strained to sit up right. My back still ached from the accident. "Thanks," I said. "Where is Maria?"  
Lucard stood up and poured a cup of water. "Are you thirsty?" I shook my head and watched him gulp the water down. "Maria went to get something to eat." He told me as he walked over to a near by chair with a couple of books and note pads sitting on top. "These are your notes for the classes you have to study for. I heard you get an extension resulting in what happened. I thought that maybe since you were cooped up in here someone had to get you your notes. Think of this extension as a cheat sheet."  
I nodded. "Right. Thanks. I'm in no mood to study, though, sorry."  
Lucard shrugged and sat back down next to the bed. "That's okay. It's here if you want to."  
"How did you hear about the accident?" I asked, not wanting the silence to linger too long.  
"The accident spread like fire all throughout the academy. There are all sorts of rumors going around."  
I rubbed my head. "Oh great...more of a reason for people to give me a hard time."  
Lucard chuckled nervously. "Actually, no. People are scared of you now. Scared that if they hang around you they might be targeted by pirates, too."  
I was surprised. "And you aren't?"  
Lucard smiled at me. "Nope!"  
"Why?"  
"I'm too smart for my own good." He simply told me.  
This time I laughed. "Its that big head of yours that's going to get you into serious trouble some day."  
"You have no idea." A silly grin spread across his face. "By the way, I like your hair. It makes you look younger."  
"Are you saying I looked old before?" I teased.  
Lucard's face flushed. "I-what-no!" He stammered. "I just really like how your hair looks, that's all."  
I laughed, forgetting for the moment about the pain in my back. "It's fine. I'm just joking around with you."

At that moment someone knocked on the door a nurse walked in. She told Lucard to leave and she gave me some medicine to help with the pain in my back. When she finished she called in Delbert and he scanned my body again.  
"You're making a wonderful recovery, Briar. I think you will be out of here with the next fort-eight hours." Delbert told me. "And may I suggest you get some sunshine? It will do you some good."  
"I didn't know I was allowed to go outside." I said truthfully.  
Delbert smiled at me. "As long as you have an escort with you at all times it shouldn't be a problem."  
"Great! I don't suppose you'll join me?"  
Delbert left my question hanging in the air when the suddenly opened again. It was Jim. He smiled at me. "Hey, Briar. Glad to see you're awake."  
"Briar is making a great recovery." Delbert said to Jim. He then averted his attention to the nurse. "Jot the medicine dose down, will you?" He asked.  
The nurse nodded. "Of course." As soon as she did she left the room, leaving just the three of us now.  
Delbert cleared his throat. "Jim, I have some important matters to attend to. Will you see to Briar? She wants to get some fresh air."  
"Wait!" I started to protest. "I mean, it doesn't have to be now. I don't want to inconvenience anyone." But Delbert was already closing the door behind him. I looked up at Jim shyly.  
"How are you feeling? The last two days you were asleep when I came to visit."  
I shifted my bottom as I continued sitting in my bed. "According to Dill Pickle I'm doing great."  
Jim laughed at my nickname for Delbert. "And you're back to telling jokes, too. You must be feeling better."  
I blushed. "Y-yeah. I guess so."  
Jim gave me his hand. "How about we go outside? Its really nice today."

I was forced to stay seated in a wheel chair as the nurses and doctors did not want me to strain my body. Jim pushed me as we made our rounds about the hospital courtyard. There were cherry blossom trees and small ponds everywhere and tiny flowers littered the ground. It was so pretty!  
"Your friends at the academy miss you." Jim told me.  
"That must make about three people: Lucard, Maria and Lynn."  
"What about me?" At first he looked at me like he was insulted, but quickly changed his attitude as he gave me a grin.  
"And you too." I finally said, rolling my eyes and smiling stupidly. "By the way, I really think this wheel chair is unnecessary." I forced Jim to stop and used the strength in my arms to hoist myself up. My legs were a bit wobbly at first and Jim stood behind me in case I fell. "See? I'm fine." I rubbed my butt that was getting numb from sitting down for too long.  
"Are you sure?" It was nice that he cared so much. It made me happy.  
I nodded and smile. "You bet. I'm built pretty tough." I told him this as I reached for a blossom on the three, but I was too short.  
"Here," Jim picked a blossom for me and put it behind my ear. "I never got to tell you how much I like your new look."  
My face flushed and looked down at my feet. "Y-you like it this short?" I asked him.  
He thought for a moment. "I miss the length you had it, but short hair looks really good on you also."  
I built up my courage and looked at him. "Thank you." The light from the sun shined down through the cracks of the tree in just the right places, giving Jim that handsome and mysterious look. What felt like an eternity as I got caught up in Jim's blue eyes, only lasted a few seconds before someone interrupted us. It was Maria and Lucard.  
"So this is where you got off to." Said Lucard. "I leave for one second and you get lost." He said jokingly.  
"I'm not lost. Jim is with me." I turned to face the two.  
Maria gave Lucard a playful push. "Stop teasing, you dork."  
Lucard gave one of his silly grins again. "So its okay to be out here?"  
I nodded. "I got the okay. As long as I'm with someone the doctors and nurses don't mind."  
Jim cleared his throat, joining the conversation. "Shouldn't you two be at the academy?" He got them there. They were definitely skipping.  
Lucard crossed his arms and leaned to one side. He wasn't able to keep his eyes on Jim. "This is more important, don't you think?" He almost seemed embarrassed to say it.  
"Lucard wouldn't stop talking about coming to see you." Maria chimed in. "He was really upset when he heard about the accident."  
Lucard's face flushed red. "Maria! I told you not to say anything!" Maria only laughed at this. A playful banter of teasing back and forth erupted from the two for a minute before Jim finally spoke up again.  
"You two should really get back to the academy. I appreciate you checking up on Briar."

When the two reluctantly left Jim took me back to my room. I didn't want to go, and I told Jim this, so we walked back slowly, enjoying the outdoors while we still could.  
"I'm surprised you came." I said after a moment of silence.  
"Really? Why? I told you I'd come visit you every day, didn't I?"  
I nodded to this. "True. But with pirate business I figured you'd be too busy."  
Jim scoffed softly. "There are more important things." He paused and then said, "Unfortunately, I think there will always be pirates. The galaxy is just too big to control."  
"An endless battle." I said.  
Jim opened the door to my room and I wheeled myself in. He helped me sit down on chair next to a window overlooking the courtyard. "Will you be all right?" he asked.  
I yawned, putting my elbow on the armrest and resting my head in my palm. "Yeah," I said lazily.  
Jim chuckled at this. "You'll be back to normal in no time." Jim said goodbye to me then and I was alone until it came time to eat again.  
The nurse who gave me my food was different this time. Come to think of it, this was my first time seeing her. "You're food, miss." She set up a stand for me and put my tray of food down i front of me.  
"Thanks." I said.  
She smiled. "You're welcome." And she left.  
As I dug into my food, which resorted of a roast beef sandwich and vegetables, I found a folded note sticking out from underneath my plate. I opened it to see what was inside and held my breath as I did so. It was just initials on it and they read: J.S.  
I smiled a little. John Silver. That old scalawag was still around.


	25. Stuck in limbo

I was back in the academy with a month to spare before the finals. Thankfully Lucard and Maria came by as much as they did with my endless pile of homework. I took notes from Maria and Lucard gave me his "cheat" sheets for weaponry. I copied them word for word. There was no sense in leaving anything out.  
There were a few things I noticed different once I came back. The academy was more quiet. Perhaps since it was so close to finals everyone cracked down and took their studies more seriously. Also, I wasn't bullied...at all. Word was that none of the students wanted anything to do with me after hearing about me getting whisked away by a pirate. However, Maria, Lucard and Lynn paid no attention and continued to associate with me, and I never doubted that they wouldn't. Honestly, I preferred this.  
"The finals are in a month." Are you ready, Briar? Lucard asked me while we ate our lunch.  
I was in the middle of eating an orange when he asked me and quickly finished chewing. "I think I'll be okay. With all the notes you two gave me it really helped me out."  
A small smile spread across Lucard's face as he picked at his tray of food. "Even without our help I think you would have been just fine."  
I was surprised to hear this. Curious to know why he thought this I asked him why. "I'm not that smart." I half jokingly said. "What makes you think I would be able to pass without any of your help?"  
Maria cut in. "I've seen the way you study, Briar. Yours is a cramming art style." She laughed a little.  
"She's not wrong." Added Lynn.  
I looked back to Lucard to see if he would say anything.  
He mumbled something, suddenly looking distraught. "You don't give yourself enough credit. Here you are, calling yourself stupid. With an attitude like that you won't pass and all of our hard work will have been for nothing." He stood up abruptly and left the table with his tray.  
"Now wait just a minute, Lucard!" I said. "What the heck has gotten into you?" Maria and Lynn stayed silent. Lucard never answered me and dumped his tray, leaving the cafeteria.  
"Shoot," Maria stood up fast. "I better go after him and see what his problem is."  
I grabbed Maria's hand. "Did I say or do something to piss him off?"  
Maria shook his head. "It's not you, honestly. It's close to finals so everything is setting off. I'm sure that's what it is." She took her tray and walked off.  
I grumbled. "No reason to act like a girl raging on her period. He wouldn't last one day with those cramps!" Lynn spit out her milk and laughed which made me laugh too. Maybe he really was just stressed because of finals. Still, that was no reason to up and leave so suddenly...unless its something else?

* * *

**Lucard's POV  
**

As soon as I dumped my tray I ran up the stairs and down the hall and away from prying eyes. I needed some time to myself and I found some solitude in the courtyard. I sat hunched over on the bench and buried my face in my hands.  
"What was that all about?" I looked up to see Maria. She was none too happy with me. "Stand up," she told me. "What makes you think you can just lounge around after an act like that?"  
I stayed seated but I looked up at her. "You know why."  
She pursed her lips together they way she did if ever she was upset with me. I knew what I was in for and I had nobody but myself to blame for it. "This was your idea." She said to me. "You wanted to do this. Whatever happened to just lying low? Watch from a distance?"  
I scoffed. "And then what? Just up and leave once everything is said and done? You know as well I do that is not possible."  
Maria crossed her arms. "'Stick to the plan". That's what you told me when we first arrived. Keep to ourselves."  
I cut her off quickly. "Keep your voice down."  
She bent down next to my face. "Then stand up and get closer to me. My back is hurting staying hunched over like this." She stood back up, straight and tall.  
I sighed, standing up and inching closer to her. "The plan was to observe. And then, when the time is right, jump into action and be the hero's everyone needs." I wasn't angry telling her this. I was being sincere.  
"I know," she said. "But you're getting too involved. Even I am."  
I shook my head. "This wasn't supposed to happen. The reason I'm upset is because we did something that didn't need being done. Briar would have been just fine without our help. I just hope we didn't screw something up by doing that."  
Maria caressed my face. "Don't you think we've already done that by coming here? I mean, what we're doing is a big no-no."  
I grabbed her hand and held it close. "But it's worth it."  
Maria smiled, tears forming in her eyes. "Yes, for family it is worth every danger."

* * *

**Back to Briar's POV**

I sat at the desk in my dorm room that night and studied away but I was soon interrupted when Maria came in. "I didn't see you at dinner. Where did you go?" I asked.  
Maria sighed and flopped on my bottom bunk, her arms stretched out as she lay on her back. "Oh, Lucard and I went out to the city. I figured the fresh air would do him some good and not eating the crummy cafeteria food."  
She had a point. "I would have loved to have joined you two."  
Maria gave a short laugh. "Nah, you wouldn't. You would have spent the whole time listening to us bicker."  
I was a little surprised to hear this. After lunch Lucard seemed normal again and Maria seemed fine too. Was I wrong to assume? "Ah, I can't imagine you two fighting."  
Maria stood up and walked over to her dresser to pull out some pajamas and clean undies. "I'm going to take a bath. Care to join?"  
My face flushed red out of embarrassment. "What?!" Maria looked confused and I suddenly felt the need to tell her how foreign of an idea that was to me. "I've never bathed with anyone before. I've heard of Japanese families doing that, but I don't have any Asian blood in me whatsoever. I mean, not that you have to be Asian to bath with people, but I mean...what I'm trying to say is...I've never done that." I was speaking so fast I wasn't sure how much Maria understood.  
Maria smiled. "It's okay. Maybe where you are from family and friends don't bath together, but it's normal here?"  
"Really?"  
Maria nodded. "Yeah, almost everyone does it. They even have public bathrooms in the city. I've never been to one though."  
"REALLY?" I was more curious than ever now. "I'm interested in seeing if this true. And to answer your question...no. I've already washed up for the night."  
"Ah, well, too bad. Maybe next time." And she walked into the bathroom.  
It was nice of Maria to offer. I'm sure she would be able to scrub my back better than me, but I wasn't ready for anyone to see me naked. I couldn't even get naked in front the girls in the locker room. And then I thought about the public bath in the city. Had Jim been there? I blushed at the very thought! I set my pen down and rubbed my head. It was getting late and I didn't need to be imaging a naked Jim. Or maybe something like that was exactly what I needed. I had been studying for so long I thought that maybe my brain stem would snap. But if I did delve deeper into the idea of Jim being naked I'd never get any sleep. Thus I got into bed and literally counted sheep until I fell asleep.

I was walking. Fog was everywhere; more walking. I was surrounded by nothing but fog. The ground was stone, my only guide to tell me where I was going since It was difficult to see even five feet in front of me.  
"Briar!"  
I heard my name being called out by multiple people. I listened closely to try and figure out the voices but no such luck. And then a small figure slowly came into view, It was a young girl and he back was to me. She was wearing a pale pink nightgown with long puffed sleeves. Her light brown hair was long reaching almost to her bottom.  
"Hey," I said, "what's going on. Where am I and who are you?"  
The little girl spun around quickly, her blue eyes calm and her face almost expressionless. She wasn't surprised to see me at all. "You came." Her voice was nice and unwavering. "I didn't think you would."  
"Umm...what?"I walked closer to her, noticing something glowing a bright red in her pale white hands. "Uh, what's that you got there?"  
She clenched her hands and opened them up for me to see a small red stone resting in one of her palms. "It's only half of it. Big brother has the other half."  
"Whose your big brother?"  
She totally ignored y question when she said, "I shouldn't be here, but I wanted to see what you looked like."  
I was really confused now. Why was she talking about me in the pass tense?  
She looked down at the red stone. "A few years back I saw daddy, too. I think he knew who I was because he gave me a big hug." She looked up at me and said, "He died before I was born."  
I opened my mouth to say something and then closed it, reconsidering debating with a child who was maybe ten to twelve years old about meeting her dad after he died. "Are you lost, because I am, so I hope you're not. And if this is a dream I'd really like to wake up now."  
"It's not a dream. Not really." The little girl told me.  
"What's your name?"  
This time I got a reaction out of her-a confused one. "I thought that maybe you would know if you saw me." When I said nothing she answered me next with her name. "Auriel,"  
"Well, Auriel, that's a really pretty name. My name is Briar. Now, can you tell me where I am?"  
She looked back down at the stone again. "I think this is limbo. I don't always come here when I try to contact others."  
"L-limbo?" I stuttered. "C-c-contact others?"  
She shot her head up and looked at me. "I shouldn't use the power of the stone for too long. Who knows what could happen?" She held out her hand. As I reached up slowly she was quick to take mine and gently squeeze it. "I'm going to stop focusing on the stone. When that happens you'll wake up exactly where you were before coming here. I've done something very dangerous, but it was worth the risk!" She was beginning to fade from my view and i was getting light headed. What was going on. "If my big brother finds out what I've been doing he'll be very upset with me." She grinned. "IF he finds out." She was almost gone now. "I'm glad I got to meet you. Goodbye!"

I woke up on the floor. All lights were out and Maria was sleeping soundly. I put my hand to my chest to feel the rushing beat of my heart. I'm never counting sheep again, I thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twenty-nine more days until I go to Italy. I'll try to have more out before then. I've been very busy lately.


	26. The Trials From Hell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An update on life! I am engaged. After dating my boyfriend for two and a half years we are finally going to be getting married. I smell a medieval wedding in the near future(By that I mean some time next year). Also, my trip to Italy is in 25 days. I'll try to have another chapter out before then(I've been very busy). I also bought a violin. Yay!  
> Enjoy.

It was the morning of finals. There were no classes; everyone was participating in one giant event that would test our skills and determine if we would be the next few to journey forth with the captains. It was exciting to think about traveling the sea of space with Captain James Pleiades Hawkins. But everyone was thinking about that, whether they wanted to sail with Captain Amelia or Captain Kate, or whoever. I wasn't the only one with this in mind.  
Maria was busy getting ready while I was sitting on my bed still contemplating everything go on around me.  
"Are you going to get ready?" Maria asked as she put her hair up. She was almost ready to go. All she had to do was put on her boots.  
I nodded with uncertainty. "I think so. I mean, I'm ready as I'll ever be."  
Maria grinned. "Briar...you're not even dressed yet. Do you know where to go?"  
I nodded again, this time with more enthusiasm. "Of course. Lucard made triple sure." I stood up and stretched.  
"Good," said Maria, "then I will see you there. I'm going now so don't expect me to slow down for you." She left before I could say another word.  
I groaned, taking off my pajamas so I could properly dress myself. I put on what looked very similar to my usual uniform, only this time it was black and tighter. I was glad to have lost a stone in weight; fifteen pounds to be exact.  
Our uniforms were designed this way and made to be stretchy for the physical activity we were to perform. And since my hair was short I needn't do anything with it and left my room as soon as I was ready.  
On my way to the back of the school grounds I stopped by the cafeteria and grabbed myself a donut and a pear...you know, to even things out. And to wash it all down I snagged a juice box. Today everything was free for us students since it was the hardest day out of the year. It was the school's way of showing its students appreciation.  
Appreciation? My butt! The academy was tough, although not nearly as tough as University.

As I scarfed down my breakfast and chugged my juice I made my way to the back yard. It was more like a giant field and a stadium was set up. There were thousands of people and I felt my breakfast turning in to something I didn't want and suddenly felt nauseous.  
There was a table where a few teachers and the principle sat.  
"Over here, Miss Edwards." Said the principle. I slowly walked over as a few students got in line behind me. "You are in class A, correct?" I nodded as I watched the principle scan a list. "Please, see to Mrs. Larson."  
I took the piece of paper I was given and looked down the table. I didn't know these teachers so I had to look at all of their name tags. Finally, I found Mrs. Larson. "Hi," I said.  
Mrs. Larson was some type of Alien with bright orange skin and pale blue eyes. She was terrifyingly beautiful. "Miss Edwards, I have been expecting you."  
"Am I late?" I asked.  
She chuckled. "Of course not. You're early." She handed me a badge with my name and class type.  
"Won't this get dirty or fall off during the finals?"  
Mrs. Larson shook her head. "No. Hold it up to your chest on the left." I did as she said and the badge snapped on to me like a magnet and seeped into my uniform. It was as if there was never a badge to begin with and it gleamed. "And now nothing will happen to it during the finals." Mrs. Larson.  
I looked out at the vast crowd of other students lining up in different rows. "How do I know where to go from here?" I asked.  
"You see the thin gold line on the badge? Stand in line with the gold flag." Mrs. Larson told me.

I turned my heel and looked up to find the gold flag three rows down. Unfortunately, neither Maria or Lucard where on my team. In fact most of the students I was with I didn't know. I'd barely walked by them in the halls and now I was going to have to depend on them for whatever was to come next.  
When everything was right and we students were situated a loud pop echoed throughout the field, or in this case, the newly built stadium. We all looked up to see the captains walk out on to what looked like a balcony, only these were front row seats. Admiral Blake walked up to speak through the micro-phone; his finger tapped on it to make sure it was working.  
"Dear students," he began. "You have all made it through a very difficult year, but only a few of you will be selected to join the captains on a voyage." He explained all of the rules, telling us that in order to achieve greatness we would have to work as a team in order to make it to the end. Of course we all knew that, but when he told us that not all teams would be here for the end, a knot tightened in my stomach. If we failed as a team, we failed altogether.  
I could see Jim up there with the rest of the captains. I gulped, feeling his eyes on me. If I messed up that was it; all of my hard work would have been for nothing. I looked at my team, suddenly realizing why they were set up this way. We're not always going to be surrounded by people we know. There will be days when our lives will depend on people we know little about.  
When Admiral Blake finished his speech a by-standing teacher was there to tell us the rules of the first trial: each team would be given a ball, one to match the color of our team, and take it to the other end of the field without it dropping or breaking. It seemed easy enough, but when we were told that whichever team did not succeed they would automatically me excluded from the finals.  
There was a total of six teams and we all divided into three separate groups. And above the stadium a scale-like shield, much like the ones on the ship, covered all our heads. This was one way to keep out pirates or any other unwanted guests.

Suddenly, the ground moved beneath our feet and the field before us opened up. A maze of pillars shot up for each team. Not only was this going to be a race, but it was a freaking maze as well!  
When the maze finished settling into place a gold ball floated up from a hole in the ground and someone on my team grabbed it. A loud horn sounded through the air and that was our cue to get going. We started off by running, trying to get as far away as we could from the other team, but other people had different things in mind. A few people from both sides started making their way to whoever had the ball. You would think that it being a maze it was cramped, but it was the opposite. There was plenty of room to move around and sharp corners to take. Some twists and turns made you go in circles while others led you to a dead end.  
I stirred away from the crowd. The rules did say that whoever reached the finish line who continue on. I didn't want to risk being thrown the ball or have to get physical by defending it. By doing this I could potentially win for my whole team.  
Unfortunately my plan was spoiled as I heard a loud commotion a few paces down.  
"Throw it to me!" I heard someone yell.  
"Too high, you idiot!" Another shouted.  
And before I knew I spotted a gold ball glide over the wall and down at my head. I caught it, my hands shaking.  
"It went over! Go find it!"  
"Someone must have caught it because we haven't been pulled from the race yet."  
I heard feet shuffling and thumping my way. I had to move quick so I picked up my feet and started running. No way was I ready for this but it was happening and I tried my best to go with it. Eventually I saw students pop out from all sides. Someone ran into me but they were from my team and quickly apologized.  
"After them!"  
"No!" I squealed as someone from the opposing side tried to take me down. I ducked and twirled around them and turned a corner. I had no idea where was I was going, although that was the whole point, but I knew I didn't have time to stop and think about where I was going. Every choice was made on my gut feeling. And like that I popped out on the other end. A buzzer rang to signal that the race was over and my team had won. Two more buzzer went off as I was happy to see that Maria and Lucard both made it through.  
I looked up at the crowd as they cheered for us. My heart was thumping in my chest. I was nervous yet overwhelmed with excitement. And there was Jim, standing with the others as he clapped for us...for me. At least that's what I told myself.

The next test was not rough as the last, but it still proved to be just as serious.  
The maze disappeared back under the ground a stage for weapons was set up. All of us were trained in the art of weapons, but no all of us were as skilled. I knew something like this was going to be important for the finals so I was very adamant about understanding every weapon we learned hands on with.  
The first to test our skills was a simple gun. Each team went up one at a time and we all watched. Only half of the students passed.  
My team was the last to go and it was scary to see just how many students had already failed. We had to reach a certain score in order to move on. There was no room for screw ups.  
Lucard seemed to pass with flying colors. In fact he had the highest score out of everyone. I'm not sure where I fell inline, but at least I didn't fail, and I certainly was the worst.  
Next we were tested on the bow and arrow. I was confidant in this and no doubt passed. Maria and Lucard as well. However, I did feel a little sad. Without Kristoff showing me few tricks to better my aim and speed, I'm not sure I would have made it this far. There was no sense in crying about it now. Kristoff would have wanted me to keep going. The thought of him reminded me of Silver and I wondered if he was here now watching me. If he was then maybe Stickler was too? I shivered at the very thought. but if he was surely he would have tried something by now? I tried not to think about it.

The finals went on with various other trials.  
I climbed and down courses and swung across ropes to reach multiple finish lines. The numbers of each team were dwindling and when it came down to the final test there was only a handful of us left. Maria seemed out of breath but Lucard looked the same as when the trials first began. Was he even trying? I couldn't tell. All I knew was that he as way too good.  
The last test was a race on solar surfers, but in order to complete the race we had to build our rides. I was not surprised to see this trial set up in this way. Everything the academy did it did for a reason. It was trying to prepare us for any all possible events. And when the buzzer went off I dropped to my knees and found my tool and first piece of the solar surfer to put together. Everyone was set up different so there was no way to look over at the other person and follow them. I fumbled around my parts a few times as I was so nervous and found it a little difficult to keep my hands steady.  
"Stay calm, Briar." I whispered to myself. "You can do this." It was at that moment I looked up and saw Lucard take off. A moment later another student took off and then Maria. There were twelve other students besides me still building and I hurried to finish and get going. Even though I wasn't the last to start that didn't mean I could mess up while racing to the finish line.

I wasn't wrong to second guess what lay ahead on this race. I went past five students who had trouble with their surfers. I knew it didn't matter how fast you could build your solar surfer; you had to build it right otherwise it would break down on you. And as I was nearing a few other students I saw them get run off the course by a wave of water that came gushing out of a pipe. Fortunately it stopped before I came across it and knew what I would have to look out for for the remainder of the race. I looked all around me to see if I noticed anything strange. There wasn't anything strange but I could hear some rumbling and saw the ground shake beneath me. I raised my surfer so nothing could distract me from flying a straight line. And then from the corner of my eye I saw another pipe shaking and swerved. I went up and then down as the water was spraying all different directions. A few students were thrown off course as this happened and I proceeded with caution.

Finally, I could see the finish line. But as luck would have it, I could feel the rumbling of my solar surfer dying down until it stopped altogether. I came down hard, almost falling over but I manage to keep it steady by shifting my weight all to one side. When it came to a full stop I hoped off to take a look at it. It was smoking and I knew that it had over heated, which was something I should have expected, but I didn't. I blew on it, trying to cool it down. What else was I supposed to do?  
A few loud clicks sounded behind me and one in front of me. I looked up to see what was going on and more students were having the same problem as me. I was surprised to see Maria sliding to a bumpy halt.  
All around us the crowd was cheering us on. They wanted us all to succeed.  
Tired and frustrated I kicked my solar surfer. If I had nothing to fix it with then what was the point? Suddenly, the motor started running again and I almost lost my grip but I managed to get back on before it took off. I was happy to pick up speed again and keep on moving. With not much of the race to left it felt good being able to make it this far. But as I zoomed by Maria a sinking feeling settled in my stomach. I slowed, turning around and going back for her.  
"Get on!" I said.  
A puzzled expression spread across her face. "Briar...what are you doing?"  
I rolled my eyes. "Just get on!" Maria didn't question me again and got on behind me and we finished the race together. I wasn't at all surprised to see Lucard waiting for the both us.  
"You made it! See? I knew you would." He gave me a pat on the back.  
"Thanks," My stomach grumbled. "I would be more grateful though if I had some food in my belly." Lucard just laughed.  
Maria then pulled me off to the side a bit and spoke to me in a low voice. "Why did you come back for me?"  
As if that was something even up for discussion. "Why would I not go back for you?" I told her.  
She gave me a small smile. "Thank you for that. I won't ever forget it."

As the last few people finished the race I was glad to see Lynn's face. She was second to last. I didn't have time to congratulate her though as a sharp tune sounded through the air. Admiral Blake was fixing the mic so he could speak again.  
"Dear students, I am very proud of all of you. But unfortunately there is one final score to be met." Above us a holographic score board showed. It read off a list of names of students who passed. I was one of them, so was Maria and Lucard. Lynn, however, did not make it. I was sad to see her go but I knew I would see her again.  
The crowd roared for us as we were taken to the front and all given a simple black belt. It felt cool to the touch, like glass, but it easily bendable. We were also given medals as a sign of passing. The teacher who handed us our medals went on to talk about how great our journey will be and that our lives are just beginning and other colorful words for a memorable speech. But I wasn't really paying attention, I was too focused on my medal and the thought that maybe I could be sailing with Jim in the near future. But what if I was picked by another captain? I didn't want that. I only wanted Jim. Did he want me?  
"And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, our captains have made a decision on who they would like to have on their voyage." The score board faded and another took its place. One by one each students name popped on to the board and next to it showed the captain they would be with. When Lucard's name appeared on the board Jim's name rest beside his. I looked over at him. He was smiling but it was a smile as if he knew who he would be sailing with all along.  
I looked back on the screen and saw Maria's name, and again Jim's name was next to hers. That was two students down; only one more spot was open and I hoped that my name would be next to his.  
I waited with great anticipation as the list went on. At last, my name showed up and what only took a few seconds seemed like an eternity to me as Jim's name could be read next to mine. I fell to my knees, tears falling down my cheeks. I was so happy.  
"Briar, are you okay?" Lucard asked me. I nodded to him, unable to speak words.  
For so long I had worked for this moment and finally it was here! I was going to sail with Jim! I was going to be next to him everyday for the next couple of months. Oh, I was so happy! And then, all of our belts shimmered and changed colors. Lucard, Maria and I all shared the same hue of blue. It was a sign to show others who was our captain. I couldn't have been more happy with the color.  
"Students, please meet with your captains before joining the others for the grand meal." Said the teacher and they walked off to join the students who did not pass.

Lucard, Maria and myself stayed together as we broke apart from the three groups. We walked into a room that had Jim's name written on the door but as we stepped inside he was nowhere to be found.  
"These chairs look amazing." Lucard flopped down on one.  
"Lucard! Sit up properly before the captain sees you. What kind of impression do you think that leave on him?"  
Lucard grumbled and sat up right. "Okay okay."  
Me, however, searched the room with greedy eyes. I was hungry, and even though there was a banquet waiting for us, my mouth watered for some tasty food. Alas, there was nothing to be found.  
"Sorry I'm late." Jim walked through the door quickly. "That crowd was hard to get through. I hope you haven't been waiting long."  
We all shook our heads. "Not at all," said Lucard. "What's next on the agenda?"  
Jim smiled. "I'm so glad you asked because we will be skipping out on the banquet." I think that was first thing Jim had ever said that disappointed me, but then he turned it all around by saying, "We are going some place even better. Don't worry, there will be food to eat on the way there."  
"Where are we going?" Maria asked.  
"The hot springs."  
Lucard shot up from his seat. "You mean the hot springs in the mountains?"  
Jim laughed. "Yes. And don't worry. It's nothing like the public baths in the city. This hot spring is top class."  
I gulped. Oh Gods...I was going to at a hot spring with Jim! I felt myself get all warm and fuzzy inside and I pinched myself to come back to reality  
"What are you three waiting for? Get your things gathered. I want to leave as soon as I can!" Lucard and Maria were quick to hustle on out of the room but Jim stopped me at the door. "Wait a moment." He told me. And I did. I stood there for a solid minute, waiting for Jim to do something...say something. "I am so proud of you." He brought me in for a hug. He held me tight and I could smell his cologne. Oh, it was so good! He released me the and I wished he hadn't "I never doubted you for a second. I knew you would pass. Always did."  
I couldn't help but blush from his generous complement. "Really? Thank you, Jim. You know, Lucard said the same thing."  
"Well, he's right." He stepped to the side to let me pass. "Go get ready. I just wanted to stop you for a moment to congratulate you."  
I smiled again and nodded, making my way down the hall but I suddenly stopped. "Hey, Jim!" I turned and called out to him. "Did I pass because me...or did I pass because of you?"  
A baffled expression spread across his face and he quickly made his way over to me. "What do you mean by that?"  
I shrugged, hoping he would get what I was saying so I wouldn't have to further explain myself. "Did I pass because I have the skills and what it takes, or did you speak for me?"  
Now he looked cross and for a moment there I thought for sure he would scold me, but he didn't. In stead his face softened, and he said to me, "Briar, what you did out there today is all on you. The way you handled every situation...it's all on you. The only thing I had a say in was you joining my crew. In fact, I don't think that was really up for debate." He chuckled a little. "Briar...you're here because of you and that makes me really happy. Now go get ready." He took his hand and ruffled my hair. "I'll see you real soon. And wipe those tears better."  
I touched my face. "Ah!" I they were still wet. "Sorry. I'm just so happy that I passed."  
Jim gave me a warm smile. "Are you sure those tears aren't meant for something else?"  
I blushed, looking down at my wrist. "Oh wow! Look at the time. I better get ready!" Before Jim could say more I quickly turned and made my way back to my dorm. I had to wonder if he knew the real reason behind my tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think so far?


	27. Natural Desires

The four of us reached the hot springs with an hour after leaving the academy. We went so far up into the mountains that the stars were more visible and brighter. The air was cooler and fresh. I took in a deep breath after stepping off the small ship we had taken on the way here. The sun was setting behind the mountains and I was in awe of the image it painted.  
"Don't fall behind." Lucard said to me as he walked by me.  
I was so dazzled that I hadn't noticed the others make their way inside what looked like an oriental hotel. With my suitcase in hand I hurried along to catch up with the others. We walked across a wooden bridge with lanterns to light our way. The closer we got to the hotel the bigger in size it became. The place seemed to loom over me and my mouth dropped at its magnificence. All windows were lit up to show you that the place was alive with other visitors.  
As we reached the front doors we were met by alien women with beautifully painted faces and wearing gorgeous robes. Jim flashed his captain's badge and they greeted us warmly. I was amazed by how easily you were granted access when one was a captain.

Once inside a wave of incense hit me. It was strong at first but my nose grew used to it after a while.  
"We'll take your things." Said one of the alien women.  
"Oh, no. That's fine." I told her. I had my alchemy book inside and I didn't anyone touching it.  
"Are you sure?" she asked me and I nodded quickly. "You two follow then, please." She took Maria and in the opposite direction that Lucard and Jim were going. "Men and women are separated. I ask that you please keep to your own side for personal privacy." This wasn't going to be very hard to do. Even though I had perverted thoughts at times I would never try to peep on anyone. The alien woman spoke more. "Please relax and enjoy your stay. We are here to ensure that you have the best time possible. Let your worries wash away with our healing hot springs. Once you have finished washing food will be waiting for you." She led us to our room and slid the door open. I really liked the Asian vibe this place was giving off.

When Maria and I were left to ourselves we quickly picked which bed we wanted and got ready for some healing therapy. There were towels and bathrobes sitting on our beds waiting to be used. I changed behind the divider as Maria changed in the bathroom. After that we made our way to the hot springs. There were many to choose from. There was a hot spring full of green tea, black tea and natural pure waters from the mountains and many more. Maria and I both chose the pure waters and made our way there.  
As we arrived I wasn't exactly happy to see other people there, but thankfully there was an open spot off to the side.  
"We need to wash off first before getting into the water." Maria told me.  
"Ah, yeah. Makes sense." I said. That's exactly what the Japanese did before soaking in the bath. I really liked the idea and wished more people did it.  
Maria and I found a spot and sat down on two small wooden chairs. They looked more like stepping stools with how small they were and the fact that they had no back. Next to us was a bucket of water that was brought over us by a worker and fresh washcloths.  
"Can I go first?" Maria asked, wanting me to scrub her back.  
"Sure," I said and sat down behind her and dipped the washcloth in the bucket. The water was steaming but it wasn't too hot and I wet her back before taking the bar of soap to scrub her back. While I was doing this Maria was washing her front. I admired the fact that Maria wasn't ashamed to let her towel drop around her waist. Her naked back was smooth and pristine looking and I was a bit jealous of her, although i stirred my eyes away from her front. I don't know why I felt so embarrassed. We all shared the same parts. I guess it was because I didn't seem myself as "pretty" or as "skinny" as Maria or some of the other girls in here.  
After losing that weight for the finals I was no longer a chunk-a-lunk, but that didn't stop my timid mind from thinking the opposite. I was at a constant battle with my mind when it came to my self-image. I wanted to look my best, not just for myself, but for a certain someone as well. And I was worried that I would never be good enough.  
Maria's voice broke me from my caged thoughts. "Your turn!" Her voice rang with delight.  
Before sitting down I turned the chair so that it would face away from people. I didn't want to flash everyone. I let the towel drop at my waist and scrubbed away. It felt nice having Maria clean my back and after some time I got used to the feeling of letting myself be exposed.

Once I scrubbed myself to the point of my skin gleaming, Maria and I got into the hot spring. We kept our towels on and soaked for a long while without saying anything.  
I let myself float as I stared up at the stars. This was something I could get used to, something I would never take for granted. And then I wondered if Jim was paying for all of us out of his own pocket. Or was the academy paying for it? Either way I was grateful.  
"Briar, can I ask you a personal question?" Maria finally broke the silence.  
"Sure,"  
"Do you love the captain?"  
I felt my body temperature rising and it wasn't from the water. "Huh?"  
Maria rolled her eyes. "Come on, Briar. Don't play dumb."  
My face flushed and I sunk further into the water so that every part of me besides my nose and was submerged. I blew bubbles as a form of distraction.  
"I think he likes you."  
I popped my head all the way out. "Really?"  
Maria smiled, happy to have gotten me to talk. "Do you like him?"  
I nodded. "Yeah..."  
This time Maria squealed. "That's so cute!"  
"We're just friends, though." I stated.  
Maria scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, really good friends. I've never seen Jim talk to other girls the way he does to you."  
"Is it that obvious?" I asked.  
"To me, yes. To others, I don't know." She shrugged. "You should try saying something."  
"WHAT? NO." I raised my voice but quickly lowered it as I did not wanted to draw attention to myself. "No way!" I whispered. Maria teased me more on the idea and after some time we eventually excused ourselves from the bath. If we soaked for too long our skin would start to wrinkle and neither one of us wanted that.

After getting back to our room we dumped our towels and put on your robes. We were then escorted to a room with a table filled with delicious looking food. The smell of meat and cooked fish filled my nostrils. Oh, it was so satisfying!  
Maria and I sat down and ogled at the food before us. We were told not to eat yet because Jim and Lucard would be joining us shortly.  
What fresh hell is this? I thought. Making us wait! My mouth salivated at the sight before me: crab, lobster, pork buns, tofu and cabbage soup, steak, vegetable kabobs and so much more! If there was a heaven this was it. There was even wine and beer along with water, juice and even a cold pitcher of fresh milk. Oh my God! I felt my diet go out the window and I wasn't sad to see it go.  
When the door slid open I was happy to see Jim and Lucard.  
Lucard's hair was still wet and he chose to wear a black robe where the rest of us wore white. He sat down opposite of Maria and grabbed a plate. "Let's dig in!" He said.  
I caught myself looking back and forth from my food to Jim. His hair was damp and his skin glowed from the healing waters from the hot springs. His robe was open some at the chest and I forced myself to swallow the food that had been sitting in my mouth for the last couple of seconds. Ugh! I was getting little peeks of his chiseled chest and it was driving me bonkers. So much so that I couldn't properly enjoy my food, but that was okay with me because I was enjoying the show more. I smirked.  
"What's so funny?" Jim asked. "You've been quiet for a while and all of a sudden you have this silly grin on your face."  
Maria and Lucard looked over at me. "Did the hot spring get to your head?" Lucard laughed at his own joke. I didn't think it was very funny but the others did.  
"Oh ha ha," I said. "Very funny, Lucard."  
"Well then what is it?" He pressed.  
I glanced over at Maria for some help. She got the hint. "I think the food is so good that its sending off into a daydream." The rest of the conversation was switched around and I was happy to be talking about something else. I think Maria knew what I was thinking about and I didn't want to believe her: I did like Jim. In fact, I think I was madly in love with him, and I knew this because I'd never felt this way about anyone before. Jim was kind to me, looked out for me, took care of me. He did all of these wonderful things for me, but did he feel the same way that I did? I was too scared to ask, and I didn't dare try to make a move.

* * *

**Lucard's POV**

That night I tossed and turned unable to sleep and the later it got the more I gave up on trying to sleep. I got up and quietly left the room. The hotel had grown quiet and I was free to wonder the halls uninterrupted. I carefully made my way to the woman's side of the hotel. It was easy enough to slip by unnoticed seeing as there were no cops paroling the area the way they did at the academy. It was just simple employees and they were easy to sneak by.  
Before the night ended Maria let it slip as to what room they were staying in. I was on a mission and I would see to it that it was fulfilled. I crept into their bedroom(picking the lock was easy) and quietly slipped inside. I found both Maria and Briar sound to sleep. Good, I thought. I can do this and I slipped the necklace out from under my shirt. The same bottle was attached to it with the red stone sitting inside. I took the cork off and slipped the stone out and hovered it over Briar's head, whispering a simple sentence in Latin. "Imperio." The stone glowed dimly in the dark room and it shined down over Briar. I was sure this would work. When the light faded I watched her slightly changed positions. I put the stone back into the bottle and placed it back under my shirt.  
"Lucard," Maria's soft voice spoke out to me. "What are you doing?"  
"I'm giving Briar some peace of mind...and also a little push." I whispered very quietly.  
Maria gave me a stern look. "That can be very dangerous. Go back to your room."  
I bent down and gave her a quick kiss on the lips before heading to the door. "If we want to save our future we have to be willing to change some things in the present." And I left the room. I had done what I came here to do and I hoped to the trillion stars that it would work.

* * *

**Back to Briar's POV**

I was sure I was dreaming again because I was some how standing in an unfamiliar room again. I thought that maybe I would run into the little girl again, but as time went on the more real this dream became. I could feel the rug beneath my feet, the warmth of the fire on my skin and I could hear the rattling of the windows. I peered out to see what I could find and saw that it was snowing. My hot breath fogged up the window.  
And then, quite suddenly, I felt the top of my head. My hair was in a messy bun. When did it grow so fast? Perhaps I was dreaming. As I was so focused on my hair I didn't notice the person who had walked into the room.  
"You're still up?" I heard a low, handsome voice. It could have only been one person because only their voice could send me off into bliss. It was Jim. "I told you not to wait up for me." I felt him wrap his arms around me and pulled me. He pressed his face into my neck and took in my scent. His body was so warm and it made my head go fuzzy. Wait one cotton-pickin' minute! I thought. If this was a dream why did it feel so real?  
"Jim," I breathed. "What are you doing?" I tried to turn myself around but he held me in place...not that I minded.  
"What you like me doing." He answered me with a sweet kiss to the neck and then a nibble on my ear.  
"AH!" I jerked my head to one side. "Stop..."  
Finally, Jim loosened his grip on me and allowed me to turn around and face him. "What's the matter?"  
I was now looking up at what appeared to be an older looking Jim, but I couldn't really tell how much older because the light in the room was very dim. He had a beard coming in and his hair was a little longer, but not by much. His eyes were still the same wonderful blue and I melted into them. "What's going on?" I asked him.  
Jim gave me a funny look. "I come home after being gone for a month and you ask me what's going on?" He raised a brow.  
"None of this is making any sense." I said that more to myself than to him.  
"What's on your mind?" Jim asked me.  
"Everything," I answered him. "Why are you acting this way?"  
Again Jim gave me the same puzzled look. "I can't show my love and appreciation towards my wife?" He lifted my left hand.  
I looked over and saw I gorgeous diamond sitting on my ring finger. "Oh my God..." Holy shit it was breathtaking!  
Before I could say more Jim leaned in and rested his forehead on mine. "My body as been aching for you. I can't stand being away from you." I was frozen in place, not because I was scared but because I trapped in a ecstatic spell. Jim pressed his lips against mine and kissed me hard. His mouth was hungry for me and I for him. I naturally let my desires take over and let Jim kiss me for a while. This was the best dream ever!  
I could feel my body heating up and welcomed the feel of Jim pressing his body against mine. He held me firmly in his hands. "I want to make love to you." I heard him say and felt his hot breath on my neck.  
This time I pushed Jim away. "I can't."  
"Why not?"  
"I'm not ready." I said honestly and then hung my head. "Besides, this isn't real anyway. I'm just dreaming..."  
Jim chuckled. "What are you talking about? This is real."  
Suddenly, I felt very light headed, like I was going to faint. "What did you say?" I didn't quite hear what he said and I realized that I was about to lose consciousness. My body went limp and Jim caught me before I hit the floor.  
"Briar, are you okay? Say something!"  
I could barely keep my eyes open. "This was nice...while it lasted." I saw Jim open his mouth to speak but I heard nothing and I closed my eyes.

I was lying on my bed in the hotel when I opened my eyes next. It was still night and Maria was fast to sleep. My head was spinning a little and my mouth was dry. I walked t the bathroom and locked the door. I turned the light on low and splashed my face with water. My body was shaking. That dream felt too real and it left me feeling uneasy. Why was I having these strange dreams? They didn't make any sense. Sure, I really liked Jim, but having that realistic of dream wasn't natural. Something wasn't right.  
I started crying then and I kept my sobbing to a bare minimum. I didn't want to wake Maria.  
What I felt in that dream made me feel complete and now that it was gone the emptiness I had grown so used to feeling was returning. I wanted to go back; I wanted to be with Jim again. It hurt so much to think that maybe that was the closest I'd ever get with him.  
Perhaps Maria was right. Maybe I should do something about my feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment if you are enjoying the story thus far.


	28. A Voyage Of Disovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Welcome to moody Mondays, although I hope you're not moody. And if you are I hope this cheers you up! I don't have much else to say other than I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

The morning after our celebration of passing our finals, Maria and I were finishing up our breakfast, which we ordered for room service. We stuffed our bellies with eggs, sausage and toast with jelly. There were more items to choose from—more fancy, but I wanted something that reminded me of home. Maria never objected to it, so I assumed my choice was good.  
When we finished we quickly dressed ourselves and hurried to meet up with the boys in the lobby. By our surprise they were there first.  
"What a surprise," said Maria. "You two made it here before us."  
Lucard crossed his arms and grinned. "While you were making yourself look pretty, which by the way I appreciate, the Captain and I were busy getting here on time."  
Maria looked down at her wrist and read an invisible watch. "Hmm," she said. "By the look of my handy-dandy watch here it says we are right on time."  
I snorted a laugh.  
Jim looked my way. "I trust you slept well?" His gaze switched to Maria for a second. "The both of you."  
Maria and I nodded. "Yeah, we slept okay."  
"Just okay?" Lucard asked. Maria shot him a look.  
I wasn't sure what that look meant, but I did notice the subtle movements. "I don't mean that we slept bad." I looked over to Maria. "I mean, I slept pretty good." I lied. "Did you?"  
Maria nodded. "I did."  
Jim picked up his bags that were resting by his feet. "We better get going." And like that we followed our Captain.

The trip back to the Academy was a gentle one, although it was rather lonely. Lucard and Maria were business talking with each other privately while Jim was swarmed by others to talk business and eventually disappeared into the estate room. However, this gave me plenty of time to think. I thought back to my life back on earth: growing up, my parents, the way people lived their lives back then. This place still felt so foreign to me. I wasn't sure I'd ever get used to this place. But I had friends here; more friends than I ever did back on earth. I was an introvert and I didn't mind. But now, with the way I was living, I was kind of forced to be more extroverted. As long as I had people to count on, Like Maria, Lucard and of course Jim, then I was okay with letting myself be heard.

When we got back to Montressor Lucard and Maria went their separate ways. Jim and I on the other hand went back to the Inn. By this time the Inn the had died down, seeing how breakfast was usually the busiest time of the day. Sarah closed up early to leave the evening open to us and cooked an amazing meal. It was good to see Ben again and having such an energetic robot walking around was enjoyable. He was the same as ever and never failed to crack me up with a joke.  
"You were great in the finals." Sarah said as we sat around the table.  
My eyes got wide. "What? You were there?"  
She nodded. "I was. I'm not surprised you didn't see me though. There were hundreds of people there."  
"Eight-hundred-forty-three to be exact." Jim said.  
I was flabbergasted. "That many?"  
"I'm sorry I didn't come see you after." Said Sarah.  
"That's okay," I told her. "We left pretty quickly."  
Sarah smiled. "Oh, to the banquet?"  
I shook my head. "No, we went to the hot springs in the mountains." I saw the slight change in Jim's face and knew I had said something I shouldn't have.  
Sarah raised a brow, although she didn't seem made. "Is that so?" She looked to Jim. "I thought EVERYONE was authorized to attend the banquet?"  
Jim nervously rubbed the back of his neck. He had finished his food so there was no point in stuffing his face to avoid the question. "Yeah, those things are so boring." He admitted.  
Sarah chuckled. "My Jim. Always a rebel." She shook her head and smiled. She stood up then and gathered our plates seeing as we were all done eating.

I went upstairs with my belongings and set out a fresh pair of undies and my new crew-type-uniform for tomorrow, and got dressed in something more comfortable. It was then that I looked out my window and saw that Sarah had set up new lights in the back garden. It looked so pretty and I was tempted to walk around it. Besides, after eating so much food it was a good idea to walk some of it off.  
The lights around the gazebo were mesmerizing and the intricately twists and turns of the paths with flower gardens on both sides made me feel like I was in Wonderland.  
"I wondered where you ran off to." I heard a deep voice and when I turned around I saw Jim. "I was hoping to talk one-on-one with you about the voyage."  
I stood up a little straighter and rests my hands behind my back. "Go ahead."  
Jim cleared his throat before speaking. "Going on a voyage for the next couple of months must sound really exciting to you, huh?" I nodded. "However true that may be it is equally dangerous. All parents and children must sign a waiver, agreeing to the dangers this voyage could very well intend." He paused for a moment. "But seeing as you are an adult and have no one but yourself to sign for, it is completely up to you whether or not you want to go through with this."  
"Why wait until now to tell me this?" I asked.  
Jim took a breath and let out a small sigh. "In truth: I wasn't sure how you would take it. I was putting it off for as long as I could. I guess what I'm trying to say is: I really want you to have this experience and I don't want fear to stop you. I have the papers inside ready for you to sign if you want to go through with it."  
I thought for a moment. "Jim, if I didn't want this I never would have tried so hard to begin with."  
"Then your answer is yes?" Jim asked.  
I nodded and smiled. "Of course!"

That night I lied awake thinking about the dream I had of Jim the night before. I blushed, touching my lips as I could remember the feel of his mouth on mine. But then I got to wondering more about it and it left me feeling very confused. The dream felt too real. Most of my dreams made me feel like I was out of my body and watching from afar, or like I was invisible while things were happening around me. But in this dream I could feel the floor beneath my feet, the heat from the fire and way Jim touched me. Every nerve in my body was reacting, whereas in my other dreams I was numb. And speaking of dreams feeling awkwardly real, I thought back to the little girl in the pink nightgown. Most of what she said had left me, but the image of her was stuck in my brain; and her voice.  
I fell asleep that night without dreaming and woke up refreshed. I wasn't nervous about the voyage(Although I felt like I should have been) and got dressed in my new uniform. It fit snugly around my body and was very stretchy so I was able to move and bend in any direction without feeling uncomfortable. The rims of the collar and sleeves were gold while the main part was a light blue. I wore a white long sleeves shirt underneath the vest that had gold buttons, and my boots stopped right below my knees. They were well padded inside and sturdy on the outside. I was surprised by how light weighted they were by the look of them. And of course I wore my shimmering gold belt. The gold represented Jim and his crew and I was growing very fond of the color.

As I made my way downstairs the lobby was bustling with people. Sarah and Ben were quick to serve everyone and I found a spot to sit down. Without asking Sarah placed a plate of food down in front of me. It was biscuits with sausage gravy and bacon on the side. I was more than happy to scarf it all down. It was then that I noticed Jim had yet to make an appearance.  
The look on my face must have been obvious because Sarah said, "If your looking for Jim he went on a few errands. He should be back soon." She then placed a paper and quill down in front me. "By the way this is for you. I had to move it when everyone came piling in."  
I looked down and saw that it was waiver. I signed it, a sense of accomplishment washing over me. I had just done something very important and it was slowly sinking in.  
As time went on I sat there sipping on my cream tea. Only after the Inn died down and Sarah and Ben were able to take a break did Jim come back. I stood up and handed the waiver to him. "It's all said and done." I told him. "When do we leave?"  
Jim rolled up the piece of paper and fit it in to the inside of his captains jacket. "We should leave very soon. Are you packed?" I nodded and pointed at my suitcase waiting by the door. Jim grinned. "I see."  
Sarah walked up to her son and wrapped her arms around him. "I will miss you."  
"I will miss you, too." Said Jim as a silly grin spread across his face.  
Sarah finally let him go. "Don't do anything stupid."  
"No promises." Jim laughed.  
Sarah raised a brow. "I mean it, Jim." She then looked to me. "Please keep an eye on this idiot."  
I tried to hold back a smile but I failed. "Will do." I told her.  
"Hey now," protested Jim. "Whose the Captain here?"  
Ben suddenly chimed in after cleaning up the area. "I trust those two will do just fine."  
Jim looked to him. "Thanks, Ben."

As Jim and I arrived to the spaceport we were met by Lucard and Maria. Soon after Kate and Amelia came by with the students they had picked.  
"You're five minutes late." Said Amelia, although I could tell that she was only joking and didn't really mean anything by it.  
"I hope you got plenty of sleep," said Kate. "And smooth move on skipping out on the banquet. Not much happened, so you were lucky."  
I wasn't the least bit surprised that we were a little late. Thinking back on how many times Jim was late to class it came as no surprise that we arrived after everyone else. However, the way I saw it was: someone always had to show up last whether you were late or on time.  
Suddenly, Morph popped out from behind Kate and started flying around Jim. "He missed you." Said Kate.  
Jim tickled Morph with his finger. "I'm shocked that he stayed with you for so long. Usually its hard to separate him from me."  
Kate smiled. "What can I say? He likes me."  
Jim took out a piece of candy from a bag he was holding and tossed it into the air. Morph flew up and easy caught it and cooed as he munched on his treat.

There was no sense in standing around any longer seeing as there was a voyage to get started.  
The ship was huge and incredibly beautiful. Some of it was made out of steel while most it was made of dark wood. To get on board we stood on top circular platforms with one handle and floated on up to the ship. The crew there was already working hard on getting things ready and saw familiar faces. Zee and Lug waved to me, welcoming me back on to the ship. I scanned the deck for Mr. Omi but guessed that we was probably below deck getting the kitchen ready. And then, to my utter surprise I saw Delbert.  
"Delbert, what are you doing here?" I asked.  
He smiled big when he saw me. "Ah, Briar. Why, I'm the doctor on this ship!" He said proudly.  
I smiled back as I was very happy to see him. "Good. I'm so glad you'll be with us." I then wondered. "Why are you not with Amelia? Surely that would be more suitable for you?"  
"It's fine. I've flown with my wife many times before. Jim was very adamant about me flying with him. He said he wanted more friendly faces aboard the ship. I'm sure he was talking on your behalf." Maria and Lucard then joined the conversation. "Ah!" Delbert opened up a folder that he was holding and took out some papers. "Now that you're all here that reminds me." He handed us each a slip of paper. "This is a map of the ship and the small black line will show you each to your designated rooms."

The three of us were quick to head below deck and find our rooms. I was happy to see that I would have an area to my own. No offense to Maria, but I missed having my own space; a place were I could retreat without worrying what the other person was doing. Only after I was settled in did I hear Jim's voice over an intercom. He was telling everyone to meet with him on deck before setting off. I stopped everything I was doing and hurried on on. Everyone was standing in a circle with Jim in the middle.  
When everyone joined Jim started talking. "Most of you know the rules of the ship, but some of you are new to this." He looked at me, Maria and Lucard. "We have three new people aboard this ship; these are the students from the academy and they will be treated the same along with everyone on this ship: with respect." He very clear on the word "respect". He continued on. "Everyone knows that the way to smooth sailing and a safe journey is when everyone can get along and work together. The rules are simple: respect one another, communicate, listen to your Captain and always be alert. If you fail to follow any one of these rules you will suffer the consequences. No matter who you are you will be treated the same as everyone else. When we set sail my word is law. And as long as you are sailing with me you will follow my every order. Is that understood?"  
If I wasn't nervous then I was now. I was seeing a different side to Jim as he spoke to use with such authority in his voice. He took his job very seriously. It was very clear now that I was no longer just "Briar". I was a part of the team now, and no matter how special my situation was I was going to be treated like everyone else. That meant if I messed up Jim would have to punish me the he would with any other crew member.  
I gulped, feeling very unsure about myself now. But I knew that it was very possible I could make mistakes. As long as I did my best surely nothing terrible would happen.  
My thoughts faded as Jim continued. He spoke about the places we would be traveling to and that our main course of action was to deliver goods from one area to the next. These places he spoke of I had never heard about, so I was excited to see more of this world and what it had to offer.

When Jim finished his speech everyone dispersed and got into position. Jim stood at the helm giving out orders and when he looked to us he made sure the three of us were giving him our full attention. "Here is your first order from your Captain: check the pressure points on the ship. When all levels reach a hundred pull the levers in order from left to right. There are three of you so one of you will have to pull down two, although I suspect it wont be too difficult."  
Lucard, Maria and myself hurried over to the small devise that sat on a wooden post and watched the numbers go up. The ship was rumbling, getting ready to take off and I could see us slowly floating away from the spaceport.  
When the levels reached a hundred Lucard took the first two levers and pushed down; Maria the third and I the forth. We shot up quickly and out into space. I nearly fell over as the force of the ship taking off nearly knocked me off my feet. I forgot how abrupt the force was. However, Lucard and Maria seemed to be fine and steadied themselves without much trouble. I could already tell they were going to be naturals at this.

As everything smooth out and the ship settled it's rumbling, I could only hear a small humming to let me know that the ship was running. We didn't have to worry about floating away because Zee had taken care of that part and Lug and a few others set up the barrier around the ship. Nonetheless I could still feel a small breeze. I would never get used to the idea of there being air in what looked like space, but this was the world I lived in now, and no matter how weird it got I had to learn to go along with it.  
I stood next to the edge and peered out over the side. I smiled as I watched peaceful space creatures float by. I was entering a new chapter in my life. Was it going to be dangerous? Safe? I didn't know. But what I did know is that as long as I was with Jim I knew he would never let anything bad happen to his crew...to me. I would have to do my absolute best to prove to him that I could do anything. And maybe...just maybe...I'll be able to get my feelings across.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your reviews are much appreciated. As most writers know: feedback is very important. I encourage you to leave your thoughts in the comments!  
> Have a good day/night!


	29. Self Doubt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience and coming this far with me.

Our morning routine was simple: get up and get dressed at the crack of dawn. Do our stretches, eat breakfast and then start our chores.  
I was in charge of helping Mr. Omi with the dishes after every meal. I wasn't going to complain. At least I didn't have to clean the bathrooms like Lucard. Maria, however, was lucky. After breakfast she was in charge of dusting Jim's estate room. Not many people have been inside of there and I tried desperately to get Maria to tell me what it looked like inside. She would only smile and tell me that I had to wait my turn...if I ever got a turn. Maria knew full well that I liked Jim and she never let me forget it.  
Once I was done with the dishes I'd meet with Zee on the top deck. There she would show me how the digital maps works.  
"Why doesn't Jim...I mean, why doesn't the Captain just use this to tell him where he needs to go rather than following the stars?"  
Zee sighed and smiled at me; as if I should have known the answer to that already. "Briar, however true that may be, the stars never lie. We use this map as last resort. Besides, this map does more than just give you directions."  
I curious to know what else it did, so I asked. "Pray tell me what those things are."  
Zee cleared her throat. "For starters, it can tell you when a storm is coming a few minutes before it hits us. Sometimes even up to thirty minutes. It also scans any area that may have traces radioactive energy. In which case, we want to stay clear away. The Captain would report it and someone whose job revolves around that would come handle the problem." She told me more about this little green and blue flat screen device that lay before me, but most of it were on subjects I still knew little about.

**Lucards POV**

"And that's how you get the engines started again if the power goes out." Finished Lug. He was about to say more but someone called him over. "Just a minute, kids. I'll be right back."  
I gave a sigh once Lug was gone. "He sure has an odd way of explaining things."  
Maria held back a laugh. "Be happy that you get to know him." A moment passed with a word being said. Finally, Maria spoke up. "How much time do we have left?"  
"A month. That's go by fast, I'm sure." I was whispering now.  
"Are you ready?"  
I felt to perplexed. "Yes and no."  
"What ever happens I'm with you to the end." Maria told me, and I knew she would be.

**Back to Briar's POV**

I was still looking at the map and trying to memorize what buttons did what when Jim walked away from the helm and scanned the ship. He spoke with a few of the crew members and walked to the middle of the ship. He put two fingers to his lips and whistled loudly. Everyone stood at attention. By this time Maria and Lucard returned from below deck.  
Everyone gathered round once again as Jim stood in the middle.  
"The academy taught you how to defend yourself in combat, but what they spoke little on was fighting back." Jim spoke directly to Lucard, Maria and me. "The reason for that is: each Captain has a different way of teaching a unique style. The reason why the academy has us teach you is because if we were all taught the same, then it would make it that much easier for pirates to overthrow us since all they would have to do is find our fighting technique." He paused. "Are you still following?" We nodded. "Good. Because today we're going to learn a few things about offense."He took off his Captain's jacket and handed it to a nearby crew member. "Timothy!" He called out, and then proceeded to take off his shirt.  
I tried not to make a subtle movements that reacted to Jim removing a bit of his clothing. I'd never seen him without a shirt and damn did he look good! It took all of my willpower to keep my eyes on his face and not his chest.  
From the crowd Timothy came through. He was a crossbreed a rhino and some kind of beetle. He and Jim got into a fighting position. No one said a word as they stood there still for a few seconds, and then like that they went after each other. I thought for sure Jim would have a hard time with Timothy but he hurled him over his back and brought him down with just a few moves. Jim held Timothy down with his weight and swiped a knife from his boot, bringing it to Timothy's neck. It would appear that Jim was stronger than he looked. "That's one way to take down a pirate." Jim said and he let Timothy go. "Thank you, Timothy. You can return to your position." He offers him a hand and helps him stand. And without looking us Jim says, "Lucard!"  
Maria and I look over at Lucard who is shocked and taken off guard. He also seemed very proud that the Captain called on him.  
"Yes, Captain Hawkins!" He said with pride and stood at attention.  
"Take your shirt off so you can move more freely, unless you prefer to fight like that?" Jim said.  
Lucard didn't seem bothered and removed his vest and white shirt straight away and handed them to Maria. Lucard was well built also and seemed confident. "How is this, Captain?" Lucard asked as he chose a position to stand in to ready himself for a fight.  
Jim nodded. "Your footing perfect." He then asked, looking a bit curious. "What stance is that. I'm not sure I've seen it before."  
Lucard grinned. "It's something I came up with."  
Jim looked impressed. "Well now. We'll see how you fare against me then."

At first Jim started off by going a little easy on him, but when Lucard was gaining the upper hand Jim quickly turned the fight around. Fists were quickly blocked, their forearms smacking each other to block a blow. They were fast...really fast. Even though Timothy was bigger he moved slower, but Lucard was smaller which allowed him to move at a faster pace.  
After a few minutes Jim finally overthrew Lucard and brought him to his knees. He held Lucard there with his hands behind his back. "Well done, Lucard. You did well."  
Lucard smiled. "Thank you, Captain!" He seemed very honored by Jim's complement.  
"Where did you learn to fight like that?"  
Lucard shrugged. "An old buddy of mine from my home town."  
Jim nodded once. "They taught you well, but you still have much to learn." He looked back at Maria and I. "You two over here."  
Maria handed Lucard back his things and walked up with me. I was nervous.  
"You can take off your vests, ladies, if you want." He said to us. Maria and I gave our vests to Lucard and rolled up our sleeves and unbuttoned the first few buttons.  
Jim then called forth Zee and one other crew member, both female. He stood facing the side us. Maria and I on one side, Zee and the other crew member on the other. We were just a few feet apart.  
"Zee, Sasha. Go ahead and show the girls a few moves. I'll observe for now." Jim told us.  
Zee took me step by step while Maria followed right along Sasha. We repeated the moves a number of time, each time going a little faster. We were learning how to block moves coming from all different directions; not just punches but kicks as well. I had seen a few kung fu movies in my past, but this was nothing like it. I should have expected that.  
Jim stopped us for a moment and walked over to me. He took hold of my arm and raised it. "You're moving this arm too slow and not raising high enough. Try again." The touch of his fingers on my skin sent shivers through my body.  
"Okay," I said. I went through the movements with Zee again and my performance was better.  
Practice went on for a little more until Jim finally stopped us. He ordered us, his students, to wash up and take care of our chores before supper.

The next day I woke up and did my usual routine and helped Mr. Omi with the dishes after breakfast. As I made my way on deck I spotted a spaceport not too far off. The slug man sitting atop the crow's nest shouted out, "Spaceport up ahead!" I thought back to being on Silver's ship and his crew members. I missed them and wished I could see them again. However, my thoughts were interrupted when Lucard pulled me up to the railing by gently grabbing my arm. "Look at that!" He said. "Our first shipment is underway!"  
I laughed. "You're really hyped for this, huh?"  
He looked at me with a big smile on his face. "I've been waiting for this. We get to help people, m-I mean, we get to do all these amazing things, Briar!"  
I raised a brow. "Were you about to call me Maria?"  
Lucard laughed nervously. "You caught that? Yeah, sorry."  
I shrugged. "No big deal."

A half hour passed before we finally landed at the spaceport. I noticed a familiar ship next to ours and realized that it was Kate's ship. She must've had business here, too. I turned around to see a group of ten crew members carrying heavy cases of boxed items down the bridge an on to a wagon. When they were nearly finished loading it up Jim walked out of his room and down the stairs where he met with Lucard and me.  
"Where is Maria?" he asked.  
"Right behind you." Maria's voice chimed.  
"Ah. Good. I want you three to follow me. We'll be taking these crates to a regular customer of ours. I want you to see how the business is done."  
We followed Jim off the ship and got on to the wagon with him. Once we broke free from the business of the spaceport we drove into the depths of the town itself and stopped at a small shop. It was up to the four of us to carry all boxes into the store.  
"Inside the elevator, please." Instructed one of the workers there.  
It was a half hour before we finally piled all boxes into the elevator. There was barely enough room for us as we went down. The shop was bigger than I thought for when the doors finally slid opened we were met by a large underground facility. This time a group of men came to pick up the boxes so we didn't have to. We followed Jim a few paces as he stopped to talk with who looked like the owner.  
"Thirty crates in all?" Said the owner. He wiggled his shaggy dog tail.  
Jim nodded. "I counted them myself."  
The owner jotted a few things down on a paper with the clipboard he was holding and then handed it to Jim. "Thank you for your business."  
"Likewise." Jim took the paper and folded it up before placing it safely on the inside of his jacket.

Once we reached the outside of the shop Zee was outside waiting for us.  
"Just in time." Said Jim. He then turned to us and said, "You three get an hour break here in town. Spend that time wisely. Zee will be with you. I have to head back to the ship."  
I was excited to be able to roam free for a little bit. Not only were we learning from this voyage , we were getting paid for it also. Every week we were given an allowance. It wasn't much, but it was something.  
We visited all the nearby shops and I bought a few soaps. I wanted more than just the regular that came on the ship. It had little scent and I wanted to smell nice for obvious reasons. I didn't want to risk smelling like an onion in front of Jim.  
Maria bought a few things for her hair, which I was jealous of because I missed the butterfly hair ornament Jim gave me. I still had it with me tucked away in my drawer, but my hair was still to short for it.  
Lucard on the other hand spent his money on trying new food. It's not like the food on the ship was bad but you were limited with your choices.  
"You'll spoil your dinner with all that food." Said Maria.  
Lucard grinned. "No, I won't, because I'm always hungry."

Our hour had come and gone too fast it felt like and we were making our way back to the ship.  
"Ah, Briar!" Delbert called out to me before crossing the bridge. "I few minor things to attend to before returning. Will you give this envelope to Jim? He should be in his estate room. I'd do it myself but I have a few more places to go and he needs these as soon as possible."  
"Sure," I said and took the envelope.

**Jim's POV**

I returned to the ship within a reasonable amount of time and headed to my estate room. I needed to figure our next plan of action and the coordinates. The lives of my students were in my hands and I didn't want to mess anything up by not taking the time to look things over.  
After a while a knock sounded on my door. "You may enter."  
"You seem busier than ever." It was Kate. "I'm glad we arrived roughly the same time. I'm about to take off but I wanted to touch bases with you on a few things first."  
I sat back in my chair. "Go ahead."  
"First of all, how did your first shipment go? I know that with new students there can be screw ups."  
"It went fine. The three of them listen to directions really well."  
Kate nodded to this. "That's good. The same goes for me." There was a short pause. "Second of all, is Nephium your next stop?"  
I shook my head. "No, Lumenox is."  
"Ah, I see. Then you will be meeting up with Amelia then?"  
I nodded in answer to her question. "Anything else?" I asked.  
She seemed hesitant at first but then finally spoke up. "I wanted to talk about us."  
"What's there to talk about?" I didn't really feel like talking about it.  
She moved around my desk and stood just a few inches from me. I turned my seat to face her better. "I want to try again."  
"Didn't we already do that once before?" I said.  
She nodded weakly. "Yes, but maybe a third time's a charm?"  
I stared at her for a few seconds before answering her. "I don't think so. The spark between us isn't there anymore, Kate."  
She seemed really disappointed, but I had to tell her the truth. "Is there someone else on your mind now?"  
I was taken aback by her very forward assumption. I looked to the window. I tried not to think about Briar, but she was all I could think about. "No," I finally answered Kate.  
Kate quickly moved and sat down on my lap. She forced me to look at her. "Is it Briar?" She asked in a whisper. I didn't say anything. "You sly dog. Is that why you wanted her to win during the finals? Amelia had dibs on her and you got her to change her mind. " A sad grin spread across her face. "You know a relationship between a student and a Captain can never work. It's against the law. You'd be stripped from your title as Captain and Briar would lose the opportunity to become one herself."  
"How dare you." I managed to say after a moment of not being able to speak. "You need to leave."  
"I'm right, aren't I?" she said rather quickly. "Tell me the truth. I want to know."  
I refused to say anymore to her on the subject. "You need to leave." She held me tight and brought me in for a kiss. Shocked, I sat there still for a moment, and then I saw Briar from the corner of my eye and broke the kiss. "Briar!" A look of utter disappointment was plastered all over her face.  
"E-excuse me." Her voice was barely audible and she quickly left.

**Back to Briar's POV**

I slammed the door shut and ran below deck to my room. Somewhere between me leaving and running away I slammed the envelope on the floor. I didn't care and I locked myself in my room for the rest of the evening. I skipped out on supper too. The idea of food made me sick, plus I didn't feel like seeing Jim. I hoped that what I saw what I thought it was.  
Later that evening I was called to the crow's nest to watch out for the ship for a few hours. It was my turn.  
Eventually I got tired of standing and sat down, wrapping my arms around my knees and peered out at the night sky. Not a single thing was in sight save for the stars that were billions of miles away. A few tears ran down my face and I wiped them away. More came down and no matter how many times I dabbed at my eyes the tears wouldn't stopped. My lower lip quivered. Was all the hard work I had done up to now for nothing? I had to wonder if I ever stood a chance with Jim.  
Here I was, Briar Edwards, a shy girl who was not only short but a little chubby (although I wasn't really anymore since I started the academy). Briar Edwards, a little nobody from a planet called Earth, a place most everyone had forgotten about. Briar Edwards, the girl who tried too hard.  
Behind my tears I saw a blurry yellow light, no, it was smoke and a giant black cloud was headed our way. I got rid of my tears and stood up, taking the scope to get a better look. A storm was coming. I rung the bell hard and fast to alert the others. Within seconds the crew came sprawling out, Jim included.  
Jim called out orders and a second barrier was set up.  
I was still atop the crow's nest when a gust of wind hit us. The ship shook with great force, knocking me down, and I had no choice but to stay where I was. I was too afraid to move.

The storm engulfed us within seconds. If not for the lights on the ship we would have be submerged into darkness. Purple and blue lighting flashed all around us and few bolts even us, rocking the ship once more. The ship was spinning and I could feel the momentum of it weighing me down. I really had no choice but to stay down. Everyone else below me readied their life lines and as Lug tried to make his way to me to hand me my lifeline but the ship shook again and he fell off the ladder. Thankfully he didn't fall too far.  
The sound of the raging storm left me deaf and I couldn't hear what was going on on deck from all the way up in the crow's nest. I was helpless.  
Another bolt hit the ship, breaking a small part of the ship. The sound was louder now and a massive gust of wind came spewing in. The post the crow's next sat on was being pulled towards the direction where the barrier was broken. I could feel and hear the wood cracking, giving way, and like that it snapped and I fell right along with it. The Barrier broke even more and I gripped the railing so tight my knuckles turned white. I could feel them slipping as the suction was pulling me. I was a mere five feet away from the raging storm outside the barrier and I all I could do was hold on for dear life. It didn't help that I was awkwardly positioned in the crow's nest either.

From the corner of my eye I saw Jim making his way towards him. In one hand he had an extra lifeline, and in the other a knife which he stabbed the post to steady himself against the wind.  
I prayed that Jim would make it in time. My hands were slipping and there would nothing else for me to hold to once I lost my grip. I would be whisked away into the storm. And like that, Jim grabbed my leg. The weight of the two us make the post snap and we fell. Jim wrapped the lifeline around my waist just in time as the post slipped off the ship. Jim was quick to wrap his arms around me as we fell together, our lifelines catching us with a rough tug, but they were designed to leave a small space as to not squeeze us. We banged against the side of the ship but because Jim was protecting me he took most of the damage.  
I felt bad. I didn't want him to get hurt.

We dangled there, swaying from side to side as the ship moved trying to avoid dangerous hits. And like that, we popped out from the other side and the storm was gone; the ship settled. It didn't take the crew very long to haul us up on deck and when we finally were I was so happy to standing on something sturdy, although I wasn't standing. I was on my hands a knees still trying to catch my breath.  
"Are you two alright?" I heard Maria say.  
"Give them some room." someone said.  
"We're fine." Jim said. He stood up, wincing in pain as he did so. "Briar?" He held his hand out to me. I looked up and took his hand. "Good work everyone."  
I tried to steady myself but I felt so dizzy and couldn't see straight. How many people were surrounding us? I couldn't keep count. Plus my ears were ringing so it was hard to hear what everyone was saying.  
"Briar, what's wrong?" Jim's voice was muffled but I could still hear him.  
I held my head with one hand while Jim tried his best to steady me with the hand he was holding. "I...I don't know."  
"...Briar?" It was Lucard but I couldn't see where was staying. Everything was going black. I fell into Jim's arms as I was no longer able to hold myself up.  
"Hang in there, Briar!" I looked up into his blue eyes. They were so wonderful. How could I ever be upset with this man? He was so kind to me.  
And then there was nothing; no Jim; no crew. Nothing. And then I saw it: Rome was on fire and among the chaos a tall, black, misty figure wearing a long cloak stood with its back to me. Finally it turned and something glowed a bright red in the middle of its chest. Where had I seen that before? Oh, yeah...the little girl from my dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tada! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I've been waiting a very long time to get up to this point in the story. I'm so excited to be able to share this with you!  
> Please leave a review!


	30. Rest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm back from Italy. I've been back for a while (I stayed in Milan and visited Rome, Florence and Venice). Truth be told I haven't felt very inspired lately with my fanfics. I've mostly been working on my next original story called Saoirse (you pronounce it as sir-sha. It's Irish. It's about medieval Ireland and time travel with knights and magic and mythical creatures). I'm almost done with it. It's a little over 110,000K so far. I will be publishing it next year. Keep an eye out for it.  
> Enjoy this next chapter!

**Jim's POV**

We managed to slowly sail our way to the nearest planet called Ooblesk for repairs. The storm had done hefty damage to the ship and we had no choice but to stop for a few days. Fortunately, none of our goods were lost. On the other hands we suffered casualties.  
I was sitting in my room on a chair next to my bed where Briar was still asleep. Every cot had been taken from everyone else who had been injured, so there was few places where we could put her. I suggested my room which not everyone agreed with and I understand that, but I needed to look out for my crew. Everyone else either has family or friends waiting for them on their home planets, Briar has no one, so it's important to that someone looks out for her.  
A soft knock sounded on the door and I told whoever it was to come in.  
"Has she woken up yet?" It was Delbert.  
I shook my head as he came walking up to me. "No,"  
Delbert bent over the bed and checked her pulse. "Her heartbeat is back to normal." He stood back up, straight and tall, sighing. "Have you gotten any rest?" he asked me.  
I shook my head again. "I can't sleep right now. I have too much on my mind."  
Delbert gently squeezed my shoulder. "You can't protect her if you're too weak from exhaustion."  
I rubbed face, feeling the tiredness really hit me. "What is that supposed to mean?"  
Delbert jumbled around with his words. "Uh-nothing. Nothing at all. I better check on the others. Let me know when she wakes."  
I only nodded and listened as Delbert shut the door behind him, leaving me alone with Briar again. I looked down at her as she slept, resting my elbows on my knees and gripping my hands together. What else was there to say other than I was nervous for her. Perhaps I cared too much about her; cared more about her than the rest of the crew. Kate was right: I did like Briar. And that meant something else too: I could never have a relationship with her, not unless I was ready to give up my title.

**Briar's POV**

I struggled to open my eyes and when I did I was looking up at a dark red ceiling with black wooden tiles going across it. From one corner of my eyes I could a small fire going. There was a large oak desk off to the side with papers and books and other miscellaneous things. A bookshelf was behind it too and it all looked to be in order. I managed to turn my head in the opposite direction, hearing it crack as I did so. I nearly lost my breath as I saw Jim slumped over in a chair sleeping. It then occurred to me that I was laying in his bed! I tried to move by my body was in too much pain. As I struggled to sit myself up I moaned in pain, waking Jim. I stopped in mid-move and stared at him.  
"Hi," I said.  
He smiled sleepily. "Oh good, you're awake." He rubbed his eyes and then covered his mouth as he yawned.  
"How long have I been out?" I asked.  
"Two days."  
My eyes got wide. "Two days! Ouch!"  
"Whoa...careful. Here, let me help you." Jim placed on arm behind my aching back while I steadied a hand on his other and he helped me sit up right. "How do you feel?"  
I would have passed out from him helping if I wasn't in so much pain. "You want the truth or a pretty lie?"  
He gave me a short laugh and smirked. "The truth."  
I grumbled, fighting back tears. "Terrible,"  
"I'll call in Delbert." He was about to get up but I told him to stop.  
"I don't feel like seeing anyone else right now." I said to him...and it was the honest truth. "How are the others? And where are we?"  
Jim sat back down. "We're on a planet called Ooblesk getting repairs, and the others are just fine. Lucard and Maria are really worried about you."  
"I'm sorry."  
Jim gave me a look of confusion. "What for?"  
A hot tear fell down the side of my face. "I'm just...I'm just sorry."  
Jim wiped the tear away. "You don't have to be sorry. If anyone should be it's me. I should have looked after you and my crew better."  
"Please don't single me away from the crew." I asked him.  
"What do you mean?"  
"When you say crew you're talking about me, too, so you don't have to put me in another category. Just say crew, okay?" I wasn't trying to be mean, I just wanted him to treat me the same.  
For the first time I saw Jim smile shyly. It was very faint, but I saw it. "Yes, Ma'am."  
"And don't call me ma'am. I'm not that old."  
Jim only laughed at this. "I'll go get Delbert. I'll be right back."

A few minutes passed and Jim came back with Delbert right behind him.  
"Ah, she's awaken." Delbert was carrying with him a large first aid kit and he set it down on the floor next him while he took a seat. "Let me get a good look at you."  
Jim stood off to the side and watched as Delbert scanned my arms and legs with a circular device with a handle on it. He then had me sit forward a little and scanned my back. I could feel the rays sliding down my body.  
"I can feel that." I told him.  
"Does it hurt?" Delbert asked.  
"A little, but it does feel really hot."  
Delbert cleared his throat. "My I check?" I nodded once and let him lift the back of my shirt. He got half way when he slowly turned to Jim and said: "Ahem. This is between a patient and doctor only."  
"Oh!" Jim quickly excused himself and Delbert got back to work.  
"Ouch." I winced in pain as Delbert took off my shirt. I felt a little weird sitting there with only my bra on, but Delbert was a professional doctor and I trusted him.  
"I'm going to make an ointment to help the burning sensation." He grabbed some more items out from his first aid kit and started mixing things together. When he was done he spread a clear gel over my back and wrapped bandages around my chest all the way down my lower back. He helped me put my shirt back on and I rested against the heap of pillows on the bed again. "You're all done." Delbert said.  
"How long until I can move around?" I asked.  
Delbert thought for a moment. "Whenever your body decides to fully heal. I'll let Jim know that you are not to be moved until then."  
I blushed. "You mean...I have to stay in this bed?"  
"Would you rather go down where the rest of the crew is-where it's loud? I don't think you would get much rest there."  
I sighed. "I don't want special treatment."  
Delbert closed his first aid kit with the clasp and then rested his hands on his laps. "Briar," he looked at me sternly. "You took the most damage from the storm out of everyone else in the crew. If I say you stay here, then you stay put! Understand." He wasn't mad, just trying to get his point across.  
I gulped. "Yes," I answered him.  
Delbert gave me a friendly smile. "Good, then I believe my work here is done. Do you need anything else?"  
My stomach growled. "Some food would be awesome."  
Delbert laughed. "Of course. I'll let Mr. Omi know straight away." Before Delbert opened the door to leave he turned his head slightly back at me and said calmly: "Everything will make sense eventually. You just have to be brave when the moment arrives."  
But I was already being brave, wasn't I? What more did I have to do? I wasn't sure I could take much more. Besides, I was doing all of this for Jim and he was worth it. It knew he was! And just what exactly did Delbert mean? I wanted to ask him but he was already gone by the time I mustered up the courage to do it.  
And then Jim was there with me again. He was smiling, letting me know quietly that everything would be fine.  
_...When the moment arrives...hmm..._


	31. The Plan

A slug man reared his arm back and then leaned forward with all his might as he punched Silver in the face. For being a slug he sure packed a heavy punch! Silver spat out blood and felt a tooth getting loose. He had been getting beat for the last hour—torture was more like it. His face was blue, black and purple, but underneath all that abuse he managed to crack a grin just before collapsing to the wooden floor. His hands and feet were bound so there was no point in getting up; he had little strength left.  
A dark figure stood in the corner of the room watching for the entirety of that hour, and finally he stepped forward. It was Stickler and he was smirking, one sharp tooth poking out from the side. "Have ye had enough, John Silver?"  
The grin remained on Silver's face as Stickler looked down on him. He winced in pain as Stickler placed one heavy boot on his head. With gritted teeth he fought back a nasty insult. It would only get him into more trouble, and the pain was exceeding enough.  
"Pray tell what possessed ye to crawl aboard my ship? Ya got guts." Stickler let off Silver's head and shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his coat. "Well?"  
The slug man came forward, ready to give Silver another blow. "Answer the Captain, maggot!"  
Silver spat out more blood before answering. A small puddle blood was forming into one much bigger as blood continued to drip from his mouth. His face was so swollen he could hardly talk but somehow he managed. "I already told you: to find Jim Hawkins. I don't have a ship or a crew of my own to do it myself. Those days are long gone."  
For a second it looked as though Stickler almost pitied the poor bear man. "Is that so? Why is that young human captain so important to ye, Silver?" As he said the word human he made it sound as though he had just tasted something awful. "That race is weak. Why have anythin' to do with 'em?"  
Silver wheezed a laugh. "Aye, weak perhaps, but not so dumb."  
Stickler was beginning to take him more seriously and then asked: "What's ya game, Silver? I wanna know. And ya better be truthful..." He tapped the back of one of his boots and a small, sharp knife stuck out.  
"There's a large sum of gold on that ship of his." Silver lied and he prayed Stickler didn't see through him.  
"Ya have other motifs, I know." Stickler said.  
Silver nodded. "Aye, I do, but hear me will ya?" When Stickler did and said nothing Silver took that as his chance to come up with another lie. "I know ya been followin' a young human girl for the last couple of months. Well, she's on that ship."  
Stickler's eyes widened with delight. "Oh?"  
Silver nodded. "Yes, and I know the places they be visiting. They have a bunch young ones on that ship—inexperienced fighters."  
"Students from the academy,"  
Again Silver nodded. His plan was working! "Aye, yes! And if you let me go I can lead you to them."  
The dreadful joy in Stickler's eyes vanished as he heard Silver say this. "Nah, ya can stay put in the cell and give me directions everyday. Do that and I'll let ya live." Stickler didn't give Silver a chance to say anything before he ordered his slug man to take him to the cell.

Silver was given nothing to eat or drink once he was thrown into the cell. It was cold and damp with only a bucket to relieve himself.  
He sat hunched over in a corner grumbling. There was no reason for him to start feeling sorry for himself. He had done this on purpose. Silver wanted to be caught but he couldn't make it that obvious. His tooth wiggled back forth as he touched it with his tongue. There was no point in keeping what was already broken so he pulled it the rest of the way out. Silver winced in pain as he spat out blood and dropped his tooth and let it roll away.  
Little bird...Jimbo...I'll be there soon, he thought. Stickler will find you two with or with my help...and you's gonna need me there when that time comes.  
That's why Silver had put himself in this situation. Stickler had a way of finding anything and anyone, and he knew exactly what that damn, good-for-nothing pirate wanted: to take Briar and use her to get to earth, and he would kill Jim and anyone else who'd stand in his way. He wanted the treasure that was left behind there and he would stop at nothing to obtain it.

* * *

**Briar's POV  
**

Another day had passed and Zee had just finished giving me a back massage with hot stones and wax. By that time it was midday and supper would be done in a few hours. I had enjoyed my time resting in Jim's bed. It was beyond comfortable and I envied him so much. Some pillows were light and soft while others were packed full of feathers. The dark blue blanket and sheets reminded me of Egyptian cotton, only softer. How was I supposed to return to my lofty bed now? After sleeping in this one anything that wasn't this was going to feel like torture.  
"You're back was heavy strained during the storm. The same goes for the rest of your body. I can tell that you used every last bit of your strength to hold on." Zee rounded up all her massaging equipment.  
"I guess I over did it, huh." I put my shirt back and stayed laying on my stomach. I didn't want to risk flipping over and pulling a muscle.  
"Once you feel stronger the captain has asked us all to keep a close eye on you for a few days after, just to see if you have properly healed." She walked to the door.  
"Thank you, Zee."  
Zee nodded and gave me a small smile. It was something she did little of, not because she was always in a bad mood but because she was usually always serious. "You're welcome, Briar." And she left the room.

Ooblesk was a cold planet so I was happy to have a hearty fire going. The burning wood smelled so good and it left me feeling very cozy. I had the perfect view and looking outside and watching the snow fall. It had been a very long time since I'd seen snow and it made me so happy. I guess being injured wasn't all that bad after all.  
The door suddenly creaked open and I turned my head to see who it was.  
"How are you feeling?" It was Jim. He had come to check up on me.  
"I'm alright. I wish the massage lasted longer." I rubbed my face into the pillow, snuggling against it as much as I could.  
Jim laughed softly. "Is that so?" She sat on the side of the bed and put his hands on my shoulders. They were warm and felt so big as he gently squeezed my shoulders.  
"Oh! Uh...you don't have to do that, Jim...er, I mean, Captain!"  
I could feel Jim grinning behind my back. "How many times do I have to tell you: call me Jim when we're alone."  
"But that...that doesn't seem right." I spoke honestly.  
This time he scoffed, but he wasn't upset with me. "We were friends first, remember?"  
"I remember."  
"So, let me do this. If it helps you to get better then that's fine."  
"O-okay..."

I continued to let him massage my back. It was wonderful and I felt slightly guilty for it. Perhaps I was enjoying this too much?  
He then moved to my mid-back and rubbed by making gentle circles with his thumbs and then he moved on to my lower back doing the same. Once he reached just above my hips my body went stiff. I think he noticed because he told me to relax. I let him grab hold of me and massage there too. It felt really nice...too nice.  
And then he stopped, standing up and walking over to the fireplace where he poured himself an alcoholic beverage. I turned to look at him as the light of the fire cast playful shadows all over his body. I was enjoying this quiet moment. How long would it last?  
I could get used to this picture. Watching Jim as he stood there. To me he was perfect.  
"Why are you so nice to me?" I asked him.  
I could see this caught him off guard. "What?"  
"Lucard and Maria are so much younger than me. You should be looking after them, not me."  
Jim set his glass down and pulled up a chair next to the bed. "Briar, listen to me: to be perfectly honest, Lucard and Maria know their way around. They've grown up here, lived this life...you haven't. You have been robbed of that." He paused for a moment. "The universe basically kidnapped you and shoved you into a world you were not prepared for."  
Hmmm. That made sense. "But still..."  
Jim put a finger to my lips. "But nothing." He put his hand back on his lap. "Nothing wrong with being nice, is there?"  
I shook my head. "No,"  
"The repairs are just about done and we should be on our way by either tomorrow or the next day."  
"How are the supplies?" I asked him. I was genuinely curious to know how our cargo was doing.  
"It's fine. We got more ice and salt so keeping things fresh shouldn't be too much of a problem."  
Silver suddenly came to mind and I said: "I wonder how Silver is doing. Do you think he's okay?"  
Jim thought for a moment. "I think he's okay. And if he is in trouble he will see himself out of it soon enough. That's just who he is."  
"I hope we see him again." I slowly flipped over on to my back again.  
"I hope so too."  
"He had a nickname for me: Little bird."  
Jim smiled. "That suits you." He was silent for a moment after that, looking down at his hands. He seemed to be deep in thought. "You know, I enjoy our little talks." He told me.  
I was flattered by his words. Did he really mean that? "T-thank you! I do too."  
He looked up at me with the faintest smile and said: "You do? Good." He stood up walked over to the rack where his coat was hanging and put it on. "I need to get back out there and see how things are doing. I wouldn't be a very good captain if I let everyone else do all the work, now would I?"  
Once he was gone I closed my eyes and found rest again.

* * *

Silver woke to a mouse sniffing his face. He swatted it away and watched it flee.  
With some effort he forced himself to sit up right. The rest he gotten wasn't much, but at least it calmed the rattling in his stomach known as hunger.  
Stickler would be down to see him soon, he knew it. And when that happened he would be forced to lay out more information about Jim's ship and where they were headed. Still, this was all part of his plan. Silver knew that in numbers they could defeat Stickler and his men...but at what cost?"  
At last, he heard the heavy footsteps descend the stairs and make their way over to the cell. The door opened with a loud creak and in they walked.  
"Did you sleep well?" It was Stickler.  
Silver rose to his feet but said nothing to see brutish pirate.  
"Not that I care anyway," Stickler continued. "I have my request ready for ya." He took out a map and black chalk and handed it to Silver. "Show me the route Mr. Hawkins and his lil' gang are headed. If you's can get a precise location on when and where that would be great. We can take 'em by surprise." Silver took the chalk and map. "And if ya are wrong, I'll kill ya and find the brats on my own, just like I planned. So no playin' stupid." He warned him.  
Silver nodded and opened the map half way. It was a map of the galaxy. Silver looked at Stickler with shifty eyes. "Give me some time to figure it all out. Come back in an hour. I'll have it ready for you."  
Stickler nodded. "Suite ya self." And he left.

Once Stickler was gone Silver lost the strength in his legs and fell to his knees. He did as Stickler had told him to do but he had other plans as well. Deep in Silver's pocket was a small bottle with a cork on top and inside was a white, almost clear powdery substance. Once Silver had circled and drawn everything out on the map he opened the cork and carefully tapped the powder out of the bottle little-by-little.  
The powder was a slow working poison and Silver took great care as not to touch it or breath it in. Once he finished he threw the excess in the pissing bucket and rolled the map up.  
Soon, thought Silver. Your life won't mean anything once you touch this map!


	32. The Turning Tide

Stickler walked down the stairs to the cellars, each step creaking as he did do, until he came to the bottom and opened the door to one particular cell door. He ushered his fellow underling to go on ahead of him just in case Silver were to do anything rash.  
"Hand it over." Stickler told him with one flick of his finger.  
Silver took the map from the inside of his coat pocket carefully and held it out to Stickler. "All the information you need is right in here."  
Stickler motioned his head for his underling to take the map. Silver was none too pleased with this as he wanted Stickler to open it and get his fingers covered in the poison dust. But alas, Stickler made his pawns do all his work.  
"It's as he says, Capt'. It's all here. Take a look."  
Stickler took one glance at the map as it showed all the locations and times and dates where Jim would be on his voyage. "Take it to the others and plan our next course. We're getting that girl and the treasure." He turned to Silver who was still sitting down. "Ya been very helpful, Silver. I should thank ye...but ya don't deserve my thanks." And he spat at Silver's feet. "Ya time will come soon enough, Silver." And he walked away, locking the cell door as he went.

* * *

**Briar's Pov  
**

We were four months into our journey. I felt so honored to see Jim everyday; to speak with him; to be next to him.  
Things were finally going back to normal. We were delivering our goods as usual, picking up space junk left behind by either storms or by pirates. We even managed to capture a few pirates from broken down ships and left them for the nearest planet to deal with. That was our job: ensuring the safety of space and bringing goods from around the galaxy.  
I was back to doing my chores and talking with my friends. Lucard and Maria were happy to see me up and about again and we all continued our training with the more skilled fighters on the ship, including Jim. In fact, that became one of our favorite past times: sparring with each other. I was getting better at my reflexes and I could move and stretch my body in ways I thought I never would. With all the work outs, my body was more toned than ever. However, I still retained all of my curves, only they were more defined now. I had muscles and I was proud of them...but I wasn't too muscly.  
When I finished sparring with Zee, I looked over at Maria who went up against another fellow crew member. I then looked to Lucard who was standing next to Jim. They stood side-by-side, watching Maria's sparring match, and it was then that I noticed something: the way the two of them stood next to each other...both crossing their arms with a serious look on their face as they watched the match. I was going to let the thought run by me but then I saw them scratch their chin at the same time. Neither of them seemed to notice what the other was doing. It threw me off guard and I didn't see Maria come flying at me.  
"DUCK!" Someone shouted, but it was too late. Maria had knocked me down.  
"So sorry, Briar!" Maria hurried to her feet.  
I was a bit dazed. "No, it's fine. I should have been paying more attention." She helped me to my feet.  
"What were you paying attention to then?" Lug asked.  
I blushed and avoided any eye contact with Lucard or Jim. "Nothing," I answered him.  
"That's enough sparring for one day. Everyone clean up and get back to your stations." Jim ordered.

Later that evening as we all gathered under deck to have our supper. Our usually loud bantering crowd was quiet. My guess was that everyone was tired from the extra sparring. I was too.  
"May I join you?" A familiar voice spoke.  
Before I could answer Jim joined me, Maria and Lucard at our table. "C-captain!" I was suddenly flustered as Jim usually sat up front where he could keep an eye on everyone.  
"We are honored to be graced by your presence." Maria smiled.  
"Careful now, you might make others jealous." Lucard teased.  
Jim chuckled. "This is fine. Besides, this is a perfect opportunity to get a follow up with all of you."  
"A 'follow up'?" I put my spoon down and stopped eating my soup for the moment.  
Jim nodded his head. "Yes. As Captain I need to know how all of you are doing."  
"But don't you know already?" Lucard asked. "You've been watching us all day."  
Again Jim nodded, but more weakly this time. "Yes, that's true, but I need to know how you're doing." He pointed to his head.  
I understood now. He needed to know how we were doing mentally. At times...under certain conditions or circumstances...one would 'break' and they would be unfit to travel space for long periods of time...or at all.  
"If you are referring to my mental state, then I am fine." I started out. "If I was not able to handle my coming here then I would not be here tonight to tell you this."  
Jim smiled at me. He knew what I meant. He then looked to Maria. "And what about you? How are you dealing with all of this?"  
Maria answered him formally. "With all that I have learned, Captain, I am overjoyed by everything you have taught us and shown us. I know there will more difficulties to come, but I feel I can grow as a person and press on. You have done so much for us and for that I am thankful. I have seen the way you have helped people and that encourages me to do the same. You have fueled me with fire to do this for a lifetime."  
"Show off." Lurcard said under his breath and he grinned.  
Maria playfully smacked his arm. "It is the truth!"  
"And you, Lucard?" Jim looked to him.  
Lucard did not answer right away. He sat there deep in thought. And just when we thought he wasn't going to say anything he looked to Jim with a sparkle in his eyes and said: "Doing this sort of thing is in my blood. I haven't grown tired of this life style and I never will, although I much prefer the part where we hunt down pirates and lock them up."  
Jim laughed. "That makes me feel better. Good to know none of you will crack on me. I've had that happen to me and was forced to send a boy home. It's safe to say that we will never hold the title of a captain, and I think he's okay with that." He slurped down his soup before any of us could ask him about the other students he had taken with him in the past.

Soon after, once everyone had had their fill, we cleaned up our mess and headed off to bed, but we didn't get far as the bell in the Crows Nest started ringing. My heart fell to my stomach as my first thought was that it was another storm, but I was wrong. There, a few miles away was a pirate ship sitting dead. There were no lights and it wasn't moving.  
"Turn the ship about!" Jim yelled. "We need to get closer!"  
We had gone through this procedure before and rounded up some pirates who had been left for dead by their crew mates. Fate was cruel to them.  
"It's a rather small ship." Maria commented as we stood at the edge to gaze upon the abandoned ship.  
"Somethings not right," Lucard joined us. "It doesn't have a scratch on it." He turned to Jim who was standing at the helm and he shouted: "Captain, I think this is a trap! We should proceed with caution."  
Jim didn't look at him but he nodded. His eyes were fixed on the ship.  
Once we reached the ship we kept ourselves at a reasonable distance and sent others to check the place out. We all waited with anticipation as they did not return for twenty minutes. I looked back at Jim to see if I could read the expression on his face, but I could not.  
When the others returned they told us that no one was left and hardly any supplies were there. There weren't even any dead bodies to collect.  
Before we had time to gather our thoughts we all crouched down as we heard a loud boom from a distance. The ship rocked forward and slammed into the smaller ship. When we looked back we saw a large pirate ship making its way to us. It was moving at such a fast pace that we hardly had time to get our wits together and arm ourselves.  
Jim got my attention along with Maria and Lucard and told us: "You all signed a waiver for many reasons. This is one of them!"  
I gulped, as I knew what he meant. He was saying we could all die tonight but I knew Jim wouldn't let that happen.

We got our firing guns and cannons ready and shot back at the enemy. It would only be a matter of time before they latched on to our ship and started attacking.  
In the meantime I was trying to remember all the lessons Jim and others had taught us while sparring. What were my most effective moves? How fast was I going to have to be? Who did I have to look out for the most? I looked about the ship to find ways that I could put the enemy at a disadvantage. They didn't know our ship like the rest of us, so we knew what ropes to cut and what doors led to a dead end...But would it be enough? I didn't want to see anyone die but I knew that I very well might.  
I scanned the area for Lucard and Maria and ran to them. We had gone our separate ways for a short while as we gathered our weapons, and with all the commotion and the rocking of the ship it was hard to keep ones balance.  
"Spread out you two!" Lucard said to me and Maria. "Being huddled together will put you at great risk!"  
Lucard was right and I reluctantly moved a few feet away from Maria, but I always kept her and Lucard in my sights. I didn't want anything bad to happen to them.

Our luck soon ran thin as the first hook latched on to our ship. Zee fired her gun and we all watched the pirate fall. And then another and another, until there was just too many for us all to take care of. They infested our ship like roaches and we fought back.  
I kept my distance from them as best as I could seeing as I needed some room to fire my arrows. But I couldn't keep all of them at bay. One came after me and he was a huge fellow taking on the form of a crocodile and man. He swiped at me with his clawed hand and I dodged. I then tried running up the stairs to gain some distance, but he was fast and swung his giant tail around and tripped me.  
Slamming my jaw against the wooden steps I nearly blacked out as I soon began seeing stars.  
The crocodile grabbed my ankle and hung me upside down. All my arrows fell, save for the one I still held in my hand and I stabbed his side as quick and as hard as I could. He dropped me and I fell on my back. It was obvious that he was non too happy with me as he pulled the arrow from his side. I watched as blood spurted from him and on to the floor of the ship.  
"You'll pay for that!" He snarled and went for me again.  
I had only my bow to protect me and it was useless without any arrows. But regardless of that I smacked him with it as many times as I could before he ripped it from my hands and broke it in two. He grabbed me by the shirt then and lifted me into the air. Under all those broken and crooked fangs of his I could see him smiling. I let out a scream-the loudest scream I could manage. If I was going to die I was going to let EVERYONE know it. But before the crocodile could do anything to me I heard the fire of a gun and felt it brush by my ear and nail him in the forehead. He dropped me instantly.  
I looked behind half expecting to see Jim but it was Lucard instead. He gave me one nod and tossed me his second gun.  
I looked down at it for half a second and in that time a million thoughts ran through my head: it was so easy to take another life with a simple pull of a trigger. It was much easier than pulling back the string of a bow or the risk of close contact if you chose to use a knife.  
I knew what to do with the gun but the real question remained: would I be able to take another person's life so easily...even if they were a pirate? I got my answer as I looked up quickly to see a pirate roaring and raging after me. He startled me and I raised my gun without any control of my own movements and fired. I watched him drop with a loud thud as the bullet had pierced a hole right through his belly. It wasn't like I meant to kill him...it just happened...and I felt bad for it.

Everyone turned their head, the pirates too, as we all heard a loud horn blow. It was Stickler and he stood at the top of his ship with a sly grin upon his face.  
There was so much going on that the next orders Jim spat out I couldn't catch. My body was shutting down. Perhaps I wasn't cut out for this sort of job. No, I thought. I love Jim. I have to survive for him. He is the reason why I am here. And I soon found the courage to move my feet again.  
I mainly kept my distance and fired at any pirate who got too close; I let the others handle the rest.  
Maria was swift and she killed each pirate with a perfect strike; it was as if she was performing some kind of dance and she was the star of the show.  
Jim was busy punching, kicking and throwing Pirates off his ship. He was excellent when it came to having the skills in hand-to-hand combat. It was hard not to watch him the whole time.  
However, Lucard was doing his best to reach Stickler. I could hear Jim yelling at him, telling him to stop and for a second there I thought Lucard was going to die.  
We were a mess. They were on our ship, while some of us were on their ship...Lucard being one of them.  
I watched as Lucard made his way to Stickler. He was taking down every pirate like they were nothing to him. Had he been holding back his skills this whole time? Never had I seen him fight with such vigor. I realized then that he was making his way to Stickler as if it was his goal...and perhaps it should have been everyone's goal, but were all too busy with the other pirates to notice what was really going on.  
Even with as good as Lucard might have been I knew he was no match for Stickler...deep in my gut I knew this. So I called out to him, yelled for him to stop and come back.

It was at that moment I saw our numbers dwindling. Were we really losing? And then I came across something...someone, and I almost fell on my bottom. It was Lug and he was doing his best to crawl to safety. He had been severely wounded and I ran to him, trying to protect him from the enemy. I stood in front of him as he rest up against the wall in the corner of the ship. He had just enough strength to hold his gun and fire at the enemy. Without me there to lighten the load of those coming after us he would have been killed for sure.  
There was more firing and the booming of cannons were making me go deaf. I saw smoke rising and wasn't sure if it was from us or from the enemy, or both.  
"Cease fire!" Stickler shouted.  
When the smoke cleared I could see my crew mates held hostage and the others that weren't would never get back up again. We lost.  
I looked about the ship for Jim and saw him wrestling with two pirates as they fought to keep him in their grip and forced him on his knees. He turned his head and looked at me in shame of himself.  
It was then that stickler made his way over to our ship with Lucard bound by the hands right behind him and soon pushed him to the floor. "Ah, my friends," Stickler began. He looked at all of us with such pride in his eyes. "Ya no longer have t' fear for yer life. I come t' ye with a bargain."  
"What kind of bargain, you piece of shit?" Jim spat at Stickler's boots.  
I could tell Stickler wanted to hit Jim for treating him with such disrespect. He tapped his boot to get rid of the spit and raised one brow at Jim. "I's let all ya live of ya give me one thing."  
"Don't do it!" Lucard yelled. "Kill the bastard now!"  
Stickler kicked Lucard in the gut and Maria screamed. "I warn ya, Captain James...I's kill this boy and your crew."  
Jim glared at the nasty pirate standing before him. "What...do...you...want?"  
Stickler laughed. "Such hate in those eyes of yers! I love it!" After he finished laughing he cleared his throat and became serious again. He leaned down to get closer to Jim and said: "I want her."  
"I don't know what you're talking about." Said to him.  
"Don't play dumb wit' me. I's know all bout ya little precious friend, Jimmy boy." Jim stayed silent and Stickler continued. "Oh yes, I's know all bout her. I's been watching for months now." He stood up straight then and looked over at me and pointed. "I want her." He said coldly. "And if ya don't hand her over...I's kill everyone...including Silver."  
This peaked Jim's interest. "Silver is with you?" He almost sounded hopeful and I felt sorry for him.  
Stickler grinned. "But not for long...if ya don't give me want I want that is."  
"You can't have her." Jim told him.  
Stickler took out a gun resting at his side and shot one of our crew members. "What?" Stickler said. "Say that again."  
"Jim," I whispered. "Please,"  
Jim and Stickler both looked at me. "Yes, please, Jim," Stickler mocked him in a high toned voice. "Listen t' the girl."  
"Let's talk about this." I managed to raise my voice a little. I was so scared it would crack and I'd lose my voice altogether.  
Jim stared at me for a moment and bowed his head with a sigh. He stopped struggling against the pirates. "Allow me to speak with my crew member."  
"Hmmm," Stickler thought for a moment.  
"Alone." Jim added.  
"How can I trust you won't run away wit' her?"  
Jim shook his head. "I won't. I wouldn't do that to my crew...leave them at your mercy."  
The stupid grin on Stickler's face faded as he said: "Ya already at my mercy." He said it as mean he possibly could.  
Jim finally looked up at Stickler. "Grant me that last request of my crew mate and I will do as you say."  
Was Jim really agreeing with him? I couldn't believe my ears. But what were we supposed to do at this point?

Stickler granted Jim's request and I followed behind him into his estate room while the pirates stood at by right outside the door. I closed the door quietly behind me and locked it in case anyone would intrude on us, but it was doubtful, considering what was going on outside. It was dead quiet and I wanted to scream. The silence was killing me. "Jim," I said softly. His back was to me, of course; shoulders broad, hunched over yet still tall. I could see his fists clenched together and for the first time, Jim's unusual behavior scared me. I took a breath and spoke again. "Jim?" I could see his muscles tightening underneath his white shirt. I knew he could hear me. Again, I said his name. "Jim, let's talk."  
"What is there to talk about?" his voice was low and almost demanding.  
"This cannot be avoided. You of all people should know this."  
He turned around fast, I could clearly see the worried look plastered all over his face. "If you go with them, I cannot promise your safety."  
I nodded to this, knowing full well that I could die in the care of my enemy and Jim would never forgive himself. We were in a tight situation. It was either give up and live to fight another day or fight today and go down in style. It was risky either way and the enemy had us right where they wanted us: vulnerable. How could I let Jim know that everything would be okay? How could I make him believe a lie I never could?  
"I know that." I told him after a moment of silence.  
Jim took a breath. "I know I cannot physically stop you, but perhaps I could change your mind? Persuade you?"  
The offer sounded nice, so I listened. "Yes, Jim. Change my mind. Please." I told him, almost begging him.  
Jim took a few steps closer to me, still an arms length away from me and spoke. "When I first found you floating in that god forsaken boat out in the sea of space, I saw something in you."  
My interest was peaked. "Oh? Tell me."  
"I recognized that bandana around your wrist. It's Silver's, just as you told me. I had hope that maybe Silver was lurking somewhere near you, but he was nowhere to be found. I took you in regardless and I found you to be a great member of the crew. You're a strong, young woman with an even stronger will." I was suddenly very flattered by this. "It's no doubt that my crew admires you...that I admire you...for your courage."  
Nice save, Jim, I told myself. "Is that all?" I wanted to hear more. I wanted Jim to say more. Instead we both stood there awkwardly like we were two Jr. High kids at our first dance. I reached out to Jim and grasp my tiny fingers around his big forearms and pull him close. Instead I rested my hand on my side again and kept quiet. Oh how I wanted Jim to take me now, show me how he really felt towards me...If he felt anything. I wanted him to take hold of me and slam me against his body; I wanted him to suffocate me with his mouth on mine. And maybe then, just maybe my mind would be changed, setting aside the safety of my crew for my own selfish reasons. Perhaps Jim knew this as well for he continued to stand there the same as me. "I had hoped that maybe you would say something more."  
Jim looked defeated. "What else do you want me to say?"  
I clenched my fists. "It was a nice try, but my mind is made up. I'm going." I turned to leave. There was nothing else to talk about.  
"And I will follow." I heard him say. I stopped, my hand on the lock of the door, ready to leave. "No matter where you go, I will follow. I'm sure you know this."  
"I do." I told him truthfully. The pain in my voice almost gave-way.  
"I cannot promise your safety once you leave, but that does not mean I won't come after you." Hearing him say that made me so happy. I wanted to cry but instead  
I smiled to myself. That was almost enough make me stay. I fought back the tears. Why was it so damn hard for him to just grab me and hold me tight? What was he so damn afraid of? Didn't he know that I loved him? Was I that bad at showing my feelings? The moment was so right and the air in the room was so thick. I knew that this could very well be my last chance and my last time to ever set eyes on Jim Hawkins, the Captain that so many adored. I wrapped my fingers around the handle and pushed the door open...  
"It has been decided," I said to Stickler. "I will go with you. But under one condition," Stickler waited for my response. "You will not harm another one of my crew members. If you do, I will kill myself."  
Stickler gave me half a grin and nodded. "Anythin' else?"  
I looked back at Jim who stood a foot away from me. He wasn't happy that I was going. The pain was clear in his eyes. "No," I looked back to Stickler. "Let's go." I walked down the stairs following close behind Stickler with Jim at my heels. Eventually he was stopped and could follow me no further. I felt his gaze on me the whole time, along with my fellow crew mates. And then I was gone, a captive on Stickler's ship.  
"Oh," Said Stickler. "I almost forgot." He snapped his fingers and Silver was dragged out from below deck and thrown on to Jim's ship. "He's your problem now."  
My eyes never left Jim and I looked at him with defeat. I could tell that he was sorry, and I was too. I wished that we had all been stronger. And as Stickler started up his ship I finally allowed myself to cry and I watched Jim and the rest of the crew vanish from my sights.

* * *

**Jim's Pov  
**

As I watched Briar get on that ship a felt like I had lost a part of me. I felt like I couldn't do anything without her. I had been a captain for years and now, after all this time, as soon as she's gone I felt hopeless.  
"Jim..." Silver crawled to my feet coughing. "Hey, lad,"  
I was stunned by his presence, but most of all I was pissed off. "Why are you here? After all these years now you show up?" I wanted to hit him but I found myself kneeling next to him and checking his injuries. "Zee!" I yelled. "I need to gather all those who can stand and help those who cannot."  
"Understood," she said. "You three with me." I could hear everyone getting to work to help put a band aid on our situation.  
"I had no choice." Said Silver. He coughed again. "If he found you without me being here I never would have persuaded him to let you live. He planned on killing you all, but I changed his mind."  
"How?"  
Silver laughed weakly. "I have a few treasures of my own...I promised them all to Stickler. Although I's never planned on handing it over...Truth is...I's tried poisoning him...damn fledgling took the bait instead."  
His words were a mess and I couldn't bare to see him struggle to talk anymore so I ordered more of my crew to help get him below deck. I would talk with him later when he was better rested.  
"What are you doing?" Lucard came up to me, he was in a frenzy. "We need to go after them now!"  
I was beginning to lose my calm.  
"We don't have much time left!" He yelled at me.  
I grabbed him by the shirt and held him firm. I heard Maria squeak behind me but I didn't care. "Don't you dare give me orders! I am your Captain and you have defied my commands. I ordered to stay put on this ship and you left to fight Stickler on your own. You could have died!"  
"It doesn't matter if I die because as long as Briar is with Stickler we are fighting a losing battle!"  
"And do not raise your voice at me!" I warned him. And then I stopped, my mind thinking back to what Lucard said. "What do you mean we're fighting a losing a battle? Do you know something I don't?" He became awfully quiet now. "Tell me!" I demanded. "What do you know? Are you a spy?"  
"No!" Lucard fired back. "I'd never side with the likes of them! They killed my parents! They took everything from me! I hate them!"  
"Then tell me what you know!"  
"Please, stop it!" Maria tried to break up our fight.  
"Stay out of this, Maria." I looked back at her. "Unless you know something about this little situation, then keep quiet."  
"Keep her out of this!" Lucard yelled. "This isn't her fight!"  
"Then whose is it?" I asked him. "Who are we fighting and what are we fighting for? We just lost a very valuable member of our crew. Tell me what you know!"  
"If I did you'd never believe me."  
All of our yelling came to a halt as I let my anger fume within me. I was trying my hardest to not knock Lucard on his back. "You're a spy, aren't you?"  
Lucard shook his head. "No, I swear to you!"  
"Lies!" I carried him up the stairs and into my estate room. Maria was close behind and she was frantic the entire time as she pleaded with me to stop.  
I continued to hold Lucard by the shirt as I held him against the table with little room to move. "You have to the count of ten before I put a bullet in your foot."  
I could see that Lucard was scared now and he knew I was serious. "You would really harm one of your own?"  
"Don't test me!" I warned him a second time, and there wouldn't be a third.  
Lucard shifted his eyes past me and looked to Maria. "Maria," he said. "Go get Delbert. Hurry!"  
"What does Delbert got to do with this?"  
Lurcard shifted his eyes back to me once Maria left. "Delbert will make you see reason."  
I laughed...unimpressed. "You think Delbert will side with you?"  
"I know what side I'm on. Do you?" Lucard said.  
I wanted to hit him but I just couldn't do it. "I told you to stay on the ship. You were no match for Stickler. Why risk your life...why do something so foolish?"  
I could see tears welling up in his eye but they never fell. "Because," he said. "wouldn't you do anything for your mother?"  
I was confused, caught of guard when he told me this and at that moment Maria returned with Delbert at her side.  
"Jim, put him down." Delbert said cautiously.  
I shook my head. "Not until this brat tells me what he knows."  
"Lucard just does really stupid things at times." Maria tried to reason with me. "Please, don't hurt him."  
"Yeah, listen to Maria. She's smarter than all of us in this room." Lucard said as he tried to make me think that letting him go was a good idea.  
"You didn't seem surprised at all when we found that ship, and when we were attacked. I watched you. It's as if you knew what we were going into wasn't going to end well for us."  
"I tried to tell you." Lucard tired to get away from my grasp but I wouldn't give him an inch of freedom.  
"So you ARE a spy."  
"No, I told you. I swear!"  
"You're lying!" I cocked my elbow back, ready to punch him.  
"No stop!" Maria cried. "He's your son!"

The room fell quiet as I kept my arm in position. I stared Lucard in the face as he looked up at me in horror of what I was about to do to him. Finally, I slowly lowered my arm. "What?" I said in regards to what Maria had just blurted out.  
I could hear Maria sniffling. She was doing her best to hold back her tears. "It's true. He's your son...from the future. I know you don't believe me, but Delbert here will tell you the same thing."  
I let go of Lucard and took a step back. "What?" I looked back at Maria. "You're not making any sense."  
Delbert finally let his voice be heard. "What Maria says is the truth: Lucard is your son."  
My brain was running a mile a minute. What was going on? First I lost Briar and now all of a sudden I have a son? It wasn't adding up.  
Delbert walked up to me. "Lucard and Maria came to me a few months before the Academy started. I didn't believe them at first either, but when I took his DNA he had a perfect match with yours. And everything he told me about Stickler and his pirates-even Silver. It was all too spot on for him to be lying. I know this is a lot to take it, but in time it will make sense to you." He paused for a moment. "That was why I was so adamant about coming with you this time. Lucard told me this would happen and that I would be needed here for this reason. And also, since I knew this well before the Academy started I was able to mess with the DNA so that it didn't match yours. I helped them fake ID's, too. That's how they got in."  
"If he knew what would happen why didn't he say anything?"  
"Believe me, I wanted to." Lucard said. We all looked to him now. "Maria and Delbert are the only ones who know. Maria came with me...she's from the future too. I wanted to keep it a secret for as long as possible."  
"Why?" I didn't know what else to say. I was hoping this would all come together if I just kept asking why.  
Lucard cleared his throat. "Let me start from the beginning." He pulled out a necklace from underneath his shirt. Attached to it was a small bottle with red stone inside. "This is called the Philosopher Stone. It can be used for many things. It can manipulate objects and even time itself. Maria and I came to the past to save you and everyone else."  
"Go on," I told him.  
"Like I said: the pirates killed my parents because they had this stone...because they were too weak to get rid of it when they had the chance. Stickler never stopped hunting our family down, and he started by killing grandma Sarah."  
"It gets worse..." Maria's voice was small and delicate.  
Lucard sighed. I could tell he didn't want to go on but he forced himself to. "If Stickler gets his hands on the stone we all die. It's as simple as that. Back in my time, grandma Sarah, Captain Amelia, Delbert Jr and you and mom...are all dead. There is just myself, Maria, her three brothers, Delbert and his daughters...and my little sister, Auriel. She wanted to come with but I forbid it."  
"And by killing us, Stickler gets his hands on stone?" I asked.  
Lucard shook his head. "No, but he is trying...in the future, I mean. Maria and her brothers and Delbert, too, are all keeping Stickler and his men at bay. Right now they are hauled up at Delbert's mansion with Stickler and his men surrounding them. Maria and I came back here to change all that, so that not all those lives will be lost. Right now we still have a chance and having Briar in Stickler's care will lessen our chances of survival." He paused. "You have no idea what it means to me to be able to finally meet you. I was only four when Stickler killed you."  
How could I say I didn't believe him? And then I looked back at Delbert. "You actually believed all this?"  
"Jim, I'm the only one crazy enough to believe such a story." He had a point.  
Lucard spoke again. "Before we came here, Delbert told us to tell his past self all of this. Thankfully it all worked out."  
I nodded. "I see...So how does Stickler kill me?"  
Lucard thought for a moment, retracing his steps. "I was too young to really remember, but as I got older, after mom died, I was told he slit your throat. You bled to death on the living room floor. Mom fled with us, barley escaping herself. She was also pregnant with Auriel at the time." I could see his lip quivering. "You left us...when we needed you most, but I understand that you were only trying to protect us...but you died anyway, leaving us extremely vulnerable."  
I rubbed my head, trying to take it all in. And then I asked: "Whose your mother?"  
Maria said nothing, Delbert refused to meet my gaze. Lucard was the only one still looking at me. "I think you know." Lucard told me.  
I had an idea but I wanted him to tell me anyway. "Just tell me."  
"...It's Briar."  
I wasn't surprised, but I was very happy to hear this. Even though she was gone, there was hope I'd see her again. And I told myself that the next time I see her I'd tell her that I loved her. I'd been in love with her for a very long time. I was going to hold her in my arms and kiss her all over and nothing was going to stop me. And then I remembered what Lucard said: Stickler kills her. "How does he do it?" I asked Lucard. He looked at me in question and I repeated myself. "How does he kill Briar."  
Lucard bit his lower lip. "I don't think telling you is a good idea."  
"Out with it!"  
"Okay, fine," Lucard sighed. "He strangles her. Auriel is only a year old when it happens. He then proceeds to kill Captain Amelia by hanging her, and he eventually gets his hands on Delbert Jr, and as a second warning he drowns the poor boy."  
Maria spoke up. "Stickler will stop at nothing to get what he wants."  
"Where are they headed?" I asked. "If you know all of this, then surely you know where they are going?"  
Lucard nodded. "They are going to Earth."  
"And how do we get there?" There was no map to show us the way.  
Lucard pointed to the stone. "With this. It'll take some time, but we can use it to manipulate any map to our hearts desire. I can also try and link it with the maps navigator."  
"How do you know all this?" I looked at him with question. He seemed too smart for his own good.  
This time he smiled. "I have my father's brain and my mother's intuition. Also," he added. "I may take after you when it comes to looks, but I have my mother's bubbly personality."  
I nodded to him. "That's for sure."

This was all still very weird for me. I felt like I was dreaming.  
I ordered everyone to leave. Delbert needed to get back to the wounded and Maria had done her part; she needed to rest. But I told Lucard to stay. I sat down at my desk. "Take this time to figure out the map. We will have to do repairs."  
Lucard nodded in understanding. "Of course, Captain."  
It was weird hearing him call me Captain, but I pushed that to the side. It wasn't important. "I have another question for you...a personal one."  
"Go ahead. Ask away."  
Okay, I thought, and took in a deep breath. "Was Briar happy...I mean while we were together...before we died?"  
Lucard's face went a little red. "Are you kidding me. Mom was head over heels for you. She loved you from the very beginning. If you ask me, I'd say it was love at first sight for her."  
I grinned. "I feel like an ass then."  
"Why?"  
I waved a dismissive hand to him. "It's nothing. You can go now."  
"But your wounds; shouldn't you have them looked at?"  
I shook my head. "No, I'll be fine. Just bruises. No deep cuts. Now get going. I need some time to think."  
"Before I go though, can I ask for a favor?"  
I raised a brow. What could he possibly want? "Yes?"  
He seemed unsure of himself now. "Can I call you dad?"  
I was weirdly flattered. "Uh...sure."  
Lucard smiled dumbly. "Heh...thanks, dad. I'll be one my way." He left me be soon after and closed the door quietly.

I was left alone to be with my thoughts. After everything that had transpired I was still finding it difficult to grasp. A part of me wanted to deny all this. How could this be true? It was far too crazy to believe, yet the other part of me was totally on board with this.  
Still, it left me with the one thing I cared about: and that was getting Briar back. Lucard knew where they were going so we had an advantage now. And as soon as Briar was safe in my arms and back on my ship, I'd make love to her, and this time Stickler wouldn't get his way. I will not die. I will not leave my family behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stick around my friends. The crazy is only just beginning.  
> Reviews are much Appreciated!


	33. Separation

**Jim's Pov**

An emergency supply ship came to us a few hours after Briar had been taken. I'd had little to no sleep; I would doze off and then wake up suddenly from a bad dream resulting in losing Briar for good.  
Half of my crew were still badly injured and those who did not make it were sent back once the emergency ship left. I felt terrible. I wanted to do more for the families who had just lost a loved one, but I had to stay here.  
"Why not try and rest again?" Lucard said. We were sitting in one of the lifeboats next to the bottom of the ship and repairing the holes.  
"No, I'll be fine." I had just finished hammering down a ply of wood and grabbed for another.  
I could see Lucard giving me an uneasy look from the corner of my eye. "How do you expect to save mom if you can barely keep your eyes open?"  
I started hammering away to dodge his question, but as soon I finished he asked me again. I couldn't just keep on ignoring him. "Don't call her that." Lucard didn't like what I said and purposely rocked the lifeboat. "Stop that!" I told him.  
Lucard sighed...almost grumbling. "I know she's not your wife yet, but to me you two are still my parents." He began. "That's what a child calls their parents: mom and dad."  
"You never seemed to have a problem with it before this all happened." I finished nailing that ply and grabbed a third one. I noticed Lucard slacking now; I could tell he wanted to talk about Briar.  
"Calling you two by your real names IS weird for me. I just never said anything about it before because I couldn't."  
I stopped hammering and sat back in the lifeboat to take a break. "Okay," I said. "If you want to talk about family then let's do it. We're alone so now is the perfect opportunity. I'm not sure when we'll get another chance; ask away."  
Lucard took a big breath. "I don't know what to talk about." He was looking down at his hands. They were rough looking from all the fighting and repairing. "Like I said before: talking with you like this is something I used to play in my head over and over again while growing up. I wondered what our conversations would be and what we would talk about. I never imagined this." I stayed quiet. Lucard looked like a beat up kid that had been holding in his true feelings for a long time. I could see myself in him. "When I first saw you I almost backed out, but Maria pushed me to keep going. The moment might not have meant anything for you but to me it meant the world." The sound in his voice was growing thick; I could tell he wanted to cry a little but he held it back. "The same goes for mom. When I saw her in the market I purposely ran into her. I don't know what came over me that day but my feet started moving on their own and when I came face-to-face with her it was too late to run away, and I didn't want to be rude. Mom—I mean, Briar has no idea who I am to her, but she's nice to me and treats me the same as everyone else she cares about. Growing up that's how I always saw her; she was always nice to people the way she is now. She didn't deserve to die the way she did."  
I cleared my throat as the thought of Stickler putting his hands around her neck crept into my thoughts again. "I won't let that happen." I told Lucard. "Who took care of you then—after Briar and I were gone—you and your sister?"  
"Delbert and Amelia."  
I nodded. That wasn't hard to believe. Delbert and Amelia were like family. "Good to hear it."  
Lucard looked over at me. "I would have liked it better though if it was you and mom." He paused. "Is there anything you want to ask me?"  
I thought for a moment. "When do Briar and I marry? When do we have you?"  
Lucard smiled a little; he probably knew I would ask that. "Let's see, the year right now is 4084 AE ( **I literally just made that up. AE stands for After Etherium. 4084 is of course the date/year.)** I was born in the year 4086."  
I whistled. "Wow. Two more years."  
Lucard nodded weakly. "Actually, the year is more than half over, so it's less than two years."  
For a split a second I felt happy. That meant being with Briar was going to happen soon, but that could all be taken away by Stickler. My happiness was wiped away from that. I sat back up and started working on the repairs again. "We'll get her back, I promise, Lucard."  
Lucard didn't say anything but I knew what he was thinking: words are only words until something is done about it. I didn't want to leave him like my father did. I wanted to be there for Lucard and not just for a few years, but his whole life.

* * *

**Briar's Pov  
**

The pirates didn't bother to tie me up. They figured I wouldn't be strong enough to take any of them on, and they were probably right. Besides, I didn't feel like fighting anyone; I didn't have it in me.  
Stickler put one grimy hand on my shoulder and moved me forward. As I walked by everyone they stared at me and they didn't care if they were being obvious about it. I kept my head down and my mouth shut. His ship was packed even after some of his men died. He came prepared to fight us that was for sure.  
"Get inside." Stickler opened the door to his estate room and forced me to sit at a long table. The walls in the room were littered with trophies of animal heads and some humans. There were a few paintings, but mostly it was grotesque looking heads or body parts. The table had a red cloth draped over it with stains and holes. The candles were laying on their side, probably from the fight, and he set them up right.  
He took a seat across from me. He propped his elbows on the table, clasping his hands together and rested his chin on them. It was quiet for a moment as he stared me down. I couldn't bring myself to look at him. "I finally have you," he said. "my little treasure map." He said it with a menacing smile. My heart was racing; I didn't know what to do. One wrong word or movement and I'd be dead. "How do you like my ship?"  
I shrugged but when he said nothing I knew he wanted to me say something back to him. "I don't know." I said.  
"Hmm, I's figured ya wouldn't have much of an opinion about it. Now, that young Mr. Hawkins...his ship is grand. Nothin' like mine."  
I closed my eyes as I tried to keep my calm. When he brought up Jim it made me feel worse. I wasn't sure if I'd ever see him again. My heart was broken. I felt like I had failed him.  
"I's can tell by the look on ya lil face that ya miss this young Captain."  
"What do you even want from me? How can I possibly help you find what you're looking for?" I finally found the courage to look him in the face.  
Stickler cleared his throat and then said: "My dear, sweet, Briar...I's know who ya are."  
I leaned my head to the side. "Oh yeah? Who am I then?"  
"Ya from Earth."  
"Earth is gone," I told him. "It's lost to history."  
Stickler nodded. "Aye, history, but it does still exist. Jus' cause no is talkin' bout it anymore, doesn't mean it's gone for good." For once I was surprised to hear what he said. "Earth is still 'round and it won't be goin' anywheres for a long time, ya hear me?"  
The door to the estate room opened and one of Stickler's men placed a book down between us. I gasped.  
"Look familiar?" Stickler asked me.  
"That's my book!"  
Stickler nodded. "Aye, We raided every room and found yours. Wit' this book you's can show us the way to Earth."  
I almost scoffed at him. "This book isn't a map. It can't take you anywhere. It's a book on basic alchemy and that's it."  
Stickler pounded his fists on the table and I shook with fear. "THERE'S A MAP HIDDEN IN THOSE PAGES AND DAMMIT YOU'S IS GOIN' T' FIND IT!"  
I gulped. "And if I don't?"  
Stickler took a breath, calming down somewhat. "I's kill ya and all of your friends."  
I slid the book closer to me and opened the it. I had read this book many times and each time I never looked at it any differently, but now I was.  
"There's a map somewhere in there and I's want ya t' find it." Stickler demanded. "And don' go tryin' t' trick me cause I's just kill ya."  
I sighed. Stickler was certain there was a map inside the pages of these books, hidden between the lines and all the symbols drawings. He warned me not trick him, but there was nothing to show him even if I tried. He'd kill me anyway. "I'll do my best." I told him.  
Stickler seemed pleased with that and sat back in his chair.  
The door opened again and a few men brought in plates of food. They set them on the table in front of Stickler and I and gave us plates and silverware.  
Stickler wasted no time getting a plate ready for himself. When he noticed I wasn't taking anything he asked: "Are ya not hungry?" I shook my head. "If ya don' eat how will ya have the strength to fulfill my request?"  
I put my book to the side and grabbed what looked like a big fat chicken leg. It was hot and somewhat slimy and the look of it made me feel ill. "Do you have anything that doesn't look like it'll crawl out of my stomach like an alien vs. predator movie?"  
"A what? Movie?" Stickler had no idea what I was talking about but I didn't care.  
"Never mind." I told him. "It's just a story from Earth. You wouldn't understand." That was the best way I could describe it to him.

I watched as Stickler chowed down on his food while I continued to sit there and stare at it all.  
When he finished he wiped his mouth clean by the sleeve of his coat, getting it even more dirty. He stood up then and took off his coat and I saw just how warn out and tattered the rest of his clothes were. I wasn't surprised to see how poorly he lived. He then proceeded to take off his hat and that's when I saw him more clearly. Stickler wasn't just a man mixed with some weird insect DNA; he was a man with the blood of a cockroach. His head was nearly bald, his eyes bulging from his sockets. His body was tall—gangling looking. "My mum couldn't stand the sight of me. She always told me she wished she never had me. But o' course she had no choice. She was raped." He paused for a second. "She was human if ya didn' already guess." He walked closer to me. "And then she died one day. Her broken heart gave out and I's was left t' the dirty streets. I hated my mum." He turned my chair around while I sat in it and gripped the top of it and leaned in close to my face. "Did ya know yer mum?"  
His breath smelled ghastly. "Not very well." I choked on my breath.  
He then ran his fingers down the side of my face and neck. "I's would love to wrap my hands 'round ya pretty lil neck and suck the life out of ya, but I need that map." And then he grabbed my neck, squeezing it lightly. "Are ya scared, Briar?"  
I was shaking. Of course I was scared. I nodded weakly and he laughed at me. He then let me go and I took in a deep breath. Stickler walked over to a dresser and pulled out something wrapped in brown cloth. He set it on the table in front of me and forced me to look at it.  
"A gift," he said.  
I leaned forward and took the cloth off the object and found a book. It was the same book that I saw in the store when I first arrived here.  
"I's found it and stole it jus' for yous."  
"So you're the one." I said quietly. Stickler was the one who took the book. That's why it wasn't there when I went back for it.  
"I's been watchin' ya for a long time." He sniffed the back of my head and I shivered again. "I's want ya t' use these two books."  
"What makes you think I'll find anything?" I asked him.  
Stickler squeezed my shoulders. "Ya don' want me t' answer that. now get t' work, scum." Stickler left me alone in the room and I heard him lock it from the other side. There was no way I was getting away.  
What do you do when a psychopath threatens your life? If you're cornered do as they say and wait for you chance of escape (there was no good answer to that question)...only there was no escape for me.

Stickler kept me cooped up in his estate room whilst trying to find the answer he wanted from me. I flipped through both books, reading them from start to finish at least twice. Every once in a while someone would come in to bring me food and drink; half the time the food looked so gross I didn't-or couldn't bring myself to eat it, so I was very hungry. If Stickler was so hell bent on having me save my energy he would bring me better food.  
I slept little, taking naps every so often but soon woke up by bad dreams. Jim was in every single one of them and I was calling and reaching out to him, but I could never reach him in time.  
In my dreams I was in this dark room—no, it was more like a cave. Stickler and his men were surrounding us and Jim was right there. He was so close but still too far from my reach.  
I sat down again at the table and flipped through the pages. My tired mind was a puzzle with a piece missing.  
"What am I going to do?" I whispered to myself. I had been doing that a lot ever since I got here. "I need more time—more help." And then I saw it. I smacked my head as I couldn't believe I didn't see it before. The pages from the book Stickler gave was more faded than my own, but I could see on some of the pages there were faint lines intricately designed on the edges of the papers. And then I looked at my own and saw the exact same thing on some of those pages.  
First, I ripped the lined pages from Sticklers book and tried my best to find a pattern. I got the edges together just like you would on a puzzle, but I didn't have all the pieces. So, I took the pages from my book, pausing as I did not not want to damage my book by tearing out the pages but I knew I had to. With great regret I tore the pages from my book and placed them on the table with the others.  
Within an hour I had finished my puzzle piece. It was far too big for me to see it properly so I stood on top of the chair and looked at it from a higher perspective.  
I gasped. There before me was map of my galaxy and this one. There were words written in Latin and I was able to make most of it out. The map was telling me how to get to one galaxy from the other. It had to do with the stars and the time of day and location. And there on the bottom corner of the map was a drawing of the Vatican. Rome, I thought. We need to go to Rome. That must be where the treasure is that Stickler is looking for.

At that moment Stickler walked in and gave me a confused look as I was still standing on the chair.  
He closed the door behind him. "Find anything interestin'?"  
"Look," I pointed. "Does this help at all?"  
Stickler viewed the map I had conjured up on the table. He was nearly as tall as me while I stood standing on the chair so he had no need to use one. He could see the map just fine from where he was. "Yes," he said. "this will do jus' fine. Well done, Briar." He yanked me from the chair and held me firm from behind my neck.  
"Ouch! You're hurting me!" I struggled to get away but I couldn't.  
"You's done yer part."  
He dragged me out of the room and down below deck where he threw me into the cellar.  
"Ya will stay here till we reach Earth." And that was it. He left me in the dark of the cold and dank cellar.  
I was lucky that's all he did...

* * *

**Jim's Pov**

Two days passed and the ship was finally ready to go. It was just after supper and most everyone had gone to bed.  
Lucard was hard at work as he stood next to the navigator trying to make it work with the Philosopher stone. I had no clue how he was doing it but the stone was glowing brighter the more he messed with the Navigator.  
"How are you doing that?" I asked him.  
Lucard didn't hear me at first seeing as he was so hard at work, but he felt my presence and stopped a moment to acknowledge me. "Oh, uh, just linking the two together."  
"It looks like some kind of magic trick." I leaned forward to get a better look.  
"To you it may look that way, but magic is just science most people don't understand. Once you do, like me, it becomes so easy...so clear." A soft click sounded on the navigator and a red mist flowed out of the stone and hovered above the device. It twisted and turned and soon a map of the galaxy was in front of me. And then, a few moments later a second map of a different galaxy appeared in front of the other. They were almost transparent with each other.  
"You see this blank space here?" Lucard said to me as he pointed. "That's where we need to go."  
"You mean that will take us to Earth?"  
Lucard nodded. "A direct line to be exact. This hole—not a black hole, mind you—is more like a worm hole. We can use it to get from one place to another, but it's just one direct line to take us back and forth. We cannot travel anywhere else outside it."  
"How do you know all this?" I asked him.  
"Growing up, Delbert and I spent a lot of time in his studies and once I joined the Academy, more doors were opened to me."  
"You've already been through the Academy?" I was impressed. "Is that why you always did so well?"  
Lucard nodded. "Yes, that's exactly why. The same goes for Maria, too."  
I looked at the hole on the map more closely. "I know where that area is. It's a dead zone but it's not impossible to get there."  
Lucard smiled. "Would you like to know how you found out before, without me being here that is?"  
Of course I wanted know. I was eager to find out. "Yes, tell me!"  
"Silver," He said. "Silver tells you. In fact you should go talk with him."  
Silver had been asleep ever since he arrived. At times he would wake for a few minutes but soon fall under his sleeping spell. "Will you be alright up here all by yourself?"  
Lucard nodded. "I'll be fine."

I let Lucard be and went below deck to check on Silver. He was resting in the back and I carefully walked by those who were still injured and then knelt down beside Silver.  
"You finally came to see me." He slowly opened his eyes. "Took ya long enough."  
"Sorry, I've been busy." So many things were running through my head that I wanted to ask him. "How are you feeling?"  
Silver grumbled. "I feel like death, lad. What do you expect?" He grinned.  
I sat there in silence for a while.  
"If ya got somethin' to say, say it." He suddenly said.  
"Why did you never come back? I looked for you for the longest time."  
Pain and guilt flushed his face. "I'm sorry, Jimbo. Things...happened."  
Silver was always one to get into some form of trouble. He didn't have to explain to me what sort of things "happened".  
"They took her." I told him. "They took Briar."  
Silver nodded weakly. "Of course they did." He said sadly. "But not all is lost." He lifted his arm with some effort and fished around inside his jacket and pulled something out. "Take a look at this. I found it many years ago while looking for treasure. I kept it just in case."  
"What is it?" I asked as I took it from him.  
Silver waved a dismissive hand. "Go back to you room and rest. You can take a look at it there. Trust me, we'll get her back, Jimbo." And he fell back to sleep.

I put on more comfortable clothes once I retired to my room for the night. Morph was eating some crackers on my desk as I took a seat. I rolled out the piece of paper Silver had given me and found it to be a map. There were words written in Latin and I couldn't make out any of it, but some of it looked familiar from when Briar had tried teaching me some new words.  
In the middle of the map was the dead zone just like on the map Lucard had shown me. This was it; this was how I found out. From where we were now, it would take us three days to reach the dead zone. Luckily we would be ready to leave this area by early tomorrow.  
I rolled the map back up and placed it safely in my drawer.  
Morph cooed as he finished his crackers. He had been hiding away from danger. I didn't blame him; at times I was scared, too. He flew up to me and rubbed my check. It tickled. "Ah, stop it, Morph." He cooed again, but his happy smile faded as his attempt to cheer me had failed. "Sorry, buddy. I'm not in the mood tonight." I sighed, trying to keep my wits together. It was hard being separated from Briar. "I miss her, you know?" I said to Morph. "Briar...I miss Briar."  
Morph changed himself to look like a miniature Briar and Jumped up and down saying: "Jim! Jim!" His voice was high pitched like it usually was when he tired to copy someone's voice.  
I smiled, but I wasn't happy. It made me sick to my stomach to think about what Stickler and his crew could be doing to Briar right at this moment. I clenched my fists and closed my eyes. I didn't want to think about it, but there they were—images of Briar being hurt. It made me angry.  
If Briar were to be taken advantage of I'd never forgive myself. I had a good idea she was still a virgin (she never made any inclination otherwise with past conversations) and I didn't want her first time to end up being taken by force. I wanted her to be with me...if she would have me, that is. I wouldn't make her do anything she didn't want to, either. It would all be up to her.  
I stood up from my chair and got into bed. Lucard was right: if I wanted to save Briar I would need to do it with plenty of rest and energy.  
Soon Briar...I'll be there soon.


	34. Home Sweet Rome

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've come so far with this story. And to think I almost gave up and scrapped it.  
> I'm glad for the few of you who have stepped out and said something to help encourage me to keep going.  
> Thank you!

**Jim's Pov**

"You cannot be serious." Amelia said. Her voice sounded electronic through the black and gold square device sitting on Jim's desk. "Are you alright?"  
If not for the fact that Amelia could only hear his voice rather than see his face, she would have known that he was lying. "I'm fine; the crew will be fine; Briar however..." His voice broke off. He was not fine.  
"Stickler took her, didn't he? That's why you have called upon me."  
"Yes," Jim said slowly. "I need your help going after Stickler. He needs to be stopped once and for all."  
There was a slight pause on Amelia's end. "I completely agree." She finally said. "But where do you get this idea that he is headed to Earth? How does he even know how to get there?"  
"Silver," Jim lied.  
Amelia sounded more than surprised. "Silver? Since when did he show up?"  
"Two days ago," Jim answered. "Now, will you help me or not?"  
There was another pause. "As much as I would like to, I have my students with me; as do we all." Jim knew what was coming next. "You have Maria and Lucard with you. You cannot put them in danger like that."  
"If I wait any longer we may lose Briar altogether."  
"You mean YOU will lose Briar?" Jim was silent. Amelia sighed. "You heard me, Jim Hawkins. Admit it, you love her."  
Jim rubbed his tired eyes. "That's beside the point, Amelia. If Stickler or any other pirate took one of your crew mates you would try everything to save them."  
Amelia's soft laugh came out from the speakers. "You know me too well, Jim."  
"Amelia," Jim was getting impatient. "I need an answer. Will you help me?"  
"What have the others said? Have you spoken with them?" She dodged his question.  
"I have. Kate said no; she wouldn't put her students through that."  
"As I thought," Said Amelia. "But fret not. I will get a hold of Admiral Blake. I will explain the situation to him...unless you have already spoken with him?"  
"No, I haven't. He was next on my list."  
Another pause. "To answer your question, Jim: no, I cannot help you. I cannot deliberately put my students in harm’s way, and I cannot leave them to follow after you. If Maria and Lucard want to help, then let them. They signed up for this knowing full well the responsibilities. But I will contact the Admiral. I will see to it that he sends help. You said it was in the Dead Zone, correct? I will let him know. Now, go and save your sweetheart."  
"She's not..." Jim's voice broke again.  
Amelia scoffed. "Don't be daft, boy."  
"Amelia..." Jim could almost feel her staring him down through the speakers.  
"I have a question for you now." Jim was quiet as he waited for her to speak again. "Let's say you are successful on rescuing Briar; what will you do then? Tell her how you feel? You know that is against the rules."  
"Thank you, Amelia," Jim said not very enthusiastically, "for you encouraging words." He sighed.  
Amelia said nothing in response to what he said. "Be careful, Mr. Hawkins." A single beep came from the speaker indicating that the connection had been shut off and the conversation ended.

Jim sat there for a minute or two to gather his thoughts before heading out on deck. He was only a day away now from the dead zone. In the meantime his crew was almost at full strength again. He knew what he was doing was dangerous, but this line of work was always dangerous.  
If Briar was not saved then all would be lost. Lucard would cease to exist; Stickler would gain an unknown power if he got his hands on the stone. It would create absolute catastrophe. But Briar...Briar would be gone forever; the last perfect human...gone; his “sweetheart” gone.

**Briar's Pov**

I was dreaming. I knew I was for sure because my dad was standing right beside me. We were at the Basilica in Florence. While everyone stood around taking pictures, we stood there in quiet awe as we gazed up at the ceiling above the altar. I remember the painting of good and evil; the angels and the devils; heaven and hell.  
"Have you had enough?" My dad asked me.  
I answered him without taking my gaze away from the painted ceiling. "Never enough," I told him. "It will never be enough."  
I could sense he was smiling at me. "Yes, that's why people take pictures so that they can preserve it's memory. But they are losing something precious when they do that."  
I finally looked away and at my dad instead. "What is that?"  
"To see something with your own two eyes and truly observe it is a better experience than just simply taking a picture to look at afterwards. It is important that we take in the graces it has to offer us at this very moment. If gives a person a certain...knowledge of things."  
I nodded. "Yes, I understand."  
"Briar...do not forget."  
I stood there looking at him. “Dad, I miss you. And mom, too.”  
He smiled at me. “But, Briar, I’m right here. And your mother is right there.” He poked me softly above my heart.  
Strange; I couldn’t feel his touch at all. I guess he wasn’t really there after all.

I woke up feeling every ach in my body as I breathed. The fight with Stickler had left me feeling worse than what I thought it would.  
I could see it—the painted ceiling. I could see it better than any picture ever taken of it. It was implanted into my memory as if the artist themselves put it there. My dad was right: knowledge was a beautiful thing.

I tried to sit up and managed but not without a few curses escaping under my breath. Perhaps I could have eaten more than a few clippings of Stickler's food. There was little for me to eat; the food that was sent down to me was hardly called food and I think they were doing this on purpose.  
If Stickler wanted me to keep my strength, why was he sending me shit food to eat? Maybe it was all he had, but I doubted that.  
I felt so weak and I was tired. All I wanted to do was sleep, but I was cold and the cell smelled of piss and other bodily fluids. It also did me no good as I felt just as gross as the dirty walls iron bars surrounding me.  
"ACHOO!" I sniffed and rubbed my nose. Great, now I'm getting sick. Maybe I'll die down here; at least then Stickler wouldn't be able to use me once we got to Earth.  
Earth, I thought. I wondered how close we were now.

As that thought was passing through my mind the ship rocked and I rolled half way across my cell block. Stickler's horn sounded and I knew they were about to fight someone again.  
The ship picked up its speed and boosted forward, knocking me around some more. And after some time of trying to pull myself together I flipped over the empty piss bucket and stood on it. I was on my tip-toes trying to see what was going outside the window; it was a circular window and no bigger than two of my fists together.  
It was only for a second but I caught a glimpse of a familiar flag and golden sails. It was Jim! Maybe I wouldn't die down here after all. And then the ship rocked again and I lost my balance, falling over and hitting my shin against the metal bucket I was standing on and the rest of me slamming on to the floor with a loud thud. "OUCH! Son of a—” I was caught off guard as Stickler's ship shook again but it was because he was firing back now. "You're both going to kill me! Stop it!" I shouted, referring to Jim and Stickler fighting each other. But it made no difference because no one could hear me down here anyway.  
Great, I was going to die from shaking baby syndrome. And then a deafening sound washed over me and the whole ship. I couldn’t hear anything but I could feel a force weighing me down. I struggled to sit up and held on to the bars for better support.

Within a second everything went black. I kept my eyes open and searched the cell room trying to find some form of light, but there was none. What was going on? Was I going to die here? I wished Jim was with me. I mean, he was here, but he wasn’t. He was fighting for me—everyone was. It made me both happy and sad.

Finally, I could hear again. The noise was coming from above. I could hear muffled voices but they weren’t yelling. It was more like rejoicing. Did Jim fail to save me?  
It was at that moment that light started to return and the ship was floating smoothly again.  
I heard the door from above swing open and heavy footsteps came walking down fast. It was stickler and he quickly unlocked the door and dragged me up the stairs. He was so fast that I couldn’t get my balance. I was also weak from not having enough food or sleep and I let my body get dragged.

The light above deck was almost blinding as Stickler hauled me all the way up. He let me drop and lay there for a moment to collect myself.  
Everyone was whispering to each other but not about me and soon I lifted my head and pulled myself up and leaned against the side of the ship. I gasped; I was back. We had made it to earth.  
I looked around some more and couldn’t find Jim’s ship anywhere. Stickler had escaped.  
“Take a good look,” Stickler said. “Is this Earth?”  
I nodded once. “Yes,”  
“And you’s said the treasure I’s be lookin’ for is in Rome?” He paused. “Are we in Rome?”  
I shook my head this time. “No, this is Paris.” I could see the Eiffel tower below us, only it had toppled over and vegetation had taken over everything. I could hardly recognize the buildings and streets as they were so covered up by everything. And not a single living soul could be seen. Were we the only living beings here?  
Stickler growled. He was not happy with me and he grabbed me by the back of the neck. “Where the hell is it then?”  
I winced in pain. “Rome is about twenty-four hours from here. If we pick up speed we can make it there in less time maybe.”  
Stickler let me go. “Which direction is it? We’s set a course there.”  
I rubbed my neck, my stomach grumbling. “Head south west for now and I’ll let you know when to change directions.”  
Stickler stared me down. “How do I know you’s not be lying t’ me?”  
I struggled to keep my head up to look at him. “Why would I lie to you? I have no reason. I am powerless against you.” Freaking idiot, I thought.  
This time he smiled at me. “Aye, smart girl,” He looked to his crew and gave the order to head south west.

The crew dispersed and I stayed there to lean against the edge.  
So this was how Earth came to be. I wish I knew what happened. It looked as though humans hadn’t been here for at least a few hundred years.  
Earth was not lost—only in disguise as it wore a mask of moss and vines.

Stickler came to me some moments later with a slice of bread and shoved it into my hands. “Ya need t’ eat.”  
I sniffed it first before taking a giant bite out of it. It seemed as though the bread was the only eatable thing on this ship, at least to me it seemed that way.  
“What drives you to this length?” I asked him. I wanted to try and understand his ways…for what it was worth.  
He rose a harry brow at me and crossed his arms and stared at me for long while. “Pain,” he finally answered me, and he walked away.  
Pain, I thought as I looked out at the world before me again. By the looks of it we were approaching Nice, a cute town next to the boarders of Italy. I had been there once. My dad and I stopped there for a few hours while traveling by train. My lips quivered and my eyes glazed over with tears. I tried to hold them back but they fell and wiped them away with my dirty sleeve.  
I remembered that day so well. It might have seemed unimportant, but that was a good day for the two of us. And now that I was here again, I knew deep in my heart that I would never have another day like it. And that was why the memory was precious to me.

By the time I finished my bread we were in Italy. Milan was just less than an hour away as Turin came in to view. Another town I visited with my dad and a place I once traveled to with some college acquaintances when I first started the University. I can’t believe I had forgotten all these things. I grumbled.  
It’s not like I hated being back, I just hated the company I was with. More than anything I wanted to be with Jim and show him around. I wanted to make memories with him here. And Lucard and Maria—I wanted to show them too.  
“This is Earth? What a piece of junk.” I looked over my shoulder to see one of Stickler’s crew members complaining. I wanted to say something back to but I would be signing my own death sentence if I did that and I kept quiet. It was none of my business to try and set any of these morons straight. If only they knew the history here like I did.  
If everyone I ever knew or came across was now gone, did any of it matter now? Did the history, the architecture and land—did any of it still matter? Yes, it did. I was the only one left who knew this place.  
If Jim were here he’d tell me that was something amazing and then go on making a joke to try and make me laugh. The idea of him doing that seemed like a distant dream to me now.  
I bowed my head, hoping he was safe and if he made it through I wondered how far away he was.  
My heart ached for him. I wanted him; I wanted to see his smile; hear his voice; feel his touch. It was time I admitted to myself how badly I wanted him. Of course I loved him, but I wanted to be with him in the most private and unconditional way possible. My only hope was that he felt the same way.

My intimate thoughts about Jim were interrupted when someone grabbed me by the arm and pulled over to the middle of the ship and chained me against the wooden pole.  
“This is a bit unnecessary, don’t you think?” I said to the rough looking dog man.  
He said nothing, only scowled at me and walked away.  
Chaining me did no good. What was the point? I was too weak to run away anyway. I looked up to see Stickler minding the ship. He was hell bent on getting his treasure.  
Sure, there was plenty of treasure here on Earth. I’m sure a Television set would thrill them as they would have no idea what it was, and even if I were to explain to them what it was they still wouldn’t understand…probably.  
“How much further?” Stickler called out to me.  
I looked around as best as I could and judging by the tall buildings that still stood I could tell we were in Florence. Stickler had definitely picked up his speed. We had arrived to Earth less than five hours ago and we were already nearly there. I could barely feel it though, as the ship was surrounded by a shield to protect us if we were to get into another fight with Jim.  
“Head more south and less West.” I told him. “Keep going that way until I say so.” It felt good to give him “orders” and there was nothing he could say or do about it because he depended on me.

As we zoomed passed the city I caught a glimpse of the Duomo. I climbed those steps, every four-hundred-sixty-three of them, although it seemed much more than that and nearly fell on my way down as my legs felt like wet noodles. But now, it too, was covered in vines and some of it had caved in like many of the other buildings surrounding it. I couldn’t tell if what I was looking at was beautiful, or a nightmare. There was no one around to help with the upkeep, so it all fell apart. And then it was gone; all of it. Florence was out of my sights and we would soon be in Rome.

I thought back to Jim and what it was he might be doing right now if he was alright.  
Was he thinking of a way to kill Stickler and save me? Was I honestly that important? The more time that went by without a single trace of Jim’s sails the more I started to give up hope ever seeing him again. It was one thing to still be in his universe, but another to be here. Was it possible for him to chase after me?  
I closed my eyes, remembering the first time I have danced with him. It was when he rescued me from the lifeboat. His crew and I were below deck and dancing. And his smell, I was trying my best to remember his smell.  
Wait a minute. I thought as I opened my eyes. I could smell smoke and looked up to see a cannon hurtling passed us. It sounded like a whistle as skid the side of the ship.  
“Blast it! That damn fool is back!” Stickler cursed numerous foul languages as he did his best to shake Jim off his course.  
“There be another, Captain!” Someone yelled. They were right, I could see far off into the distance two ships heading our way. Thank goodness, Jim came with help. I smiled for the first time since being on Stickler’s ship. I was so happy to see help on the way! But I knew Stickler would put up a good fight and he fired back at my friends with cannons.

As the ships got closer I figured who the second ship belonged to: It was Admiral Blake himself.  
“Captain, we’s runnin’ out of cannons! What should we do?”  
Stickler growled. “Use anything—everything you have to, but make sure it’s sharp!”  
Whatever they used it was not enough to keep them at bay and Jim and Admiral Blake were now on either side of Stickler’s ship.  
“Get yer guns ready, men!!” Stickler shouted. “There will be blood!” He let go of the helm and the swayed to the side, hitting Admiral Blake’s ship.  
I was still tied to the wooden pole as this was going on but still found it difficult to steady myself. All the twisting and turning was making me feel ill and I threw up. Stickler’s ship was going down.  
“Don’t die on me yet.” Stickler cut me loose from the rope and I fell over from the force of the rocking ship as its engines struggled to stay on and keep the ship afloat. Stickler grabbed me by the back of the shirt but dropped me again as he was interrupted.  
Shots were fired as Stickler’s men were now fighting Jim’s and Blake’s men. Some swung across by rope as they latched on good and tight, while others took to the sky with their solar surfers and shot at the enemy.

As Stickler was busy fighting with his enemies I took this as my opportunity to get the heck out of here. Even Stickler’s men were making their retreat.  
“Briar,” A voice called out to me.  
I stood up with shaky legs; I still wasn’t at full strength. “Jim!” I spotted him coming in from his solar surfer and watched as he jumped off from it and landed on the ship while his solar surfer skid across the deck and knocked people over.  
I saw him. He was right there in front of me. “Jim!” I ran to him, my arms reaching out to him. But someone pulled me back—kept me from my beloved Captain.  
“Not so fast!” Stickler snarled. “I own you, and you’re coming with me.”  
“Briar,” Jim called out to me again but was stopped by some of Stickler’s men and he was forced to deal with them before he could get to me.

Stickler dragged me to the lower deck as did more of his men as they made their way for a quick escape. All the while I struggled to get away from Stickler’s grip, but he was too strong and I didn’t have the strength to shake him from me.  
Even as this was all going on I could hear Jim calling out my name. I wanted to do the same but Stickler held my mouth shut as he dragged me along and eventually we made our way into the last remaining lifeboat.  
“Hold on, Briar!” Jim shot at the pirates before him.  
I bit down on Stickler’s nasty hand and he let go of my face long enough for me to say something: “I’m right here, Jim!”  
Stickler tossed me into the lifeboat and pounded the button to start it up.  
I stood up feeling wobbly but I rushed to the edge of the boat and reached out. Jim was just a few feet away now and there were no pirates other than Stickler and his men inside the lifeboat to get in his way.  
“You scum!” Stickler took hold of my waist and kept me from leaving the boat.  
“No,” I screamed and as I held out my hand for Jim. I watched as he picked up speed and dropped to his knees sliding towards me. He grabbed my hand and aimed his gun at Stickler’s face.  
_Click! Click!_  
Jim’s gun was clean out of ammo. He threw his gun and grabbed my arm with both hands. Stickler was losing his grip on me and I could feel myself being freed.  
“I need help, you maggots!” Stickler yelled and his remaining men came to join him. They put all their weight on me in order to hold me down.  
The lifeboat was almost at full power and would soon take off.  
“Jim,” I looked into his eyes, his wonderful blue eyes, and said: “You’ll find me again.”  
He shook his head; the expression on his face was breaking my heart in two. “No,” he was breathless from all the fighting. “I lov—” And then I felt his grip quickly slip away from mine and the lifeboat took off and down—down I went into the verdure that had encased the Earth for so many years.

This was all too familiar to me: a burning ship, a lifeboat and someone I cared about was getting left behind. I had to believe that I would see Jim again, just like I did Silver. He had come this far for me and I didn’t doubt he would stop now. That sliver of hope kept me from breaking into a million pieces. Jim would find me…I knew he would. And that’s when I would tell him that I loved him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What are your thoughts thus far?  
> Don't hold back and certainly don't be shy. I'd love to hear from you.


	35. Requiem For The Dead

We crashed through the trees and landed with a crackling thud and the lifeboat split in two. I was stuck in one half with Stickler while the other three latched on to the sides as we all slid across the rubble. Finally, we stopped. I could feel every ache in my body flaring up as I breathed. If I wasn't in so much pain I might have booked it while the others fought to keep their wits together.  
"Ya goin' no where." Stickler growled and grabbed the sleeve of my jacket. He hoisted himself up by using me as support. It took him a moment before he said anything else to me. He was awestruck by his surroundings. So was I.  
I didn't recognize any of the buildings. Not only had the interiors changed but the vegetation had taken over immensely. Much of what I saw on my way here I was now surrounded in.  
"Do ya hear that?" Stickler said quietly as he slipped out his gun.  
I stopped daydreaming and listened closely. There was a faint whistling sound running past my ears.  
"Over there!" Shouted one of Stickler's men.

A giant wolf leapt from behind what appeared to be a truck covered in moss and vines. It was five times the size of a normal wolf and it looked at us curiously.  
"What is that thing? Is t-that a wolf?"  
Stickler held his gun out but didn't shoot. "No, that's a monster."  
"You're the monster." I said under my breath, but everyone was too focused on the wolf to pay any attention to me. I started moving back to try and sneak away but stopped as I heard heavy footsteps behind me. I slowly turned and saw another wolf just a few yards away from me. It was the about the same size and looked at us with it's head cocked to the side. "I don't think they know what we are." I whispered to Stickler. "I don't think they have ever seen a human before...I mean, I don't think they have seen anyone who looks like us." I quickly corrected myself seeing as Stickler and his men were not human but rather altered beings.  
For a moment I thought that maybe these animals would leave us be and not think us a threat, but with the stench of evil lurking on Stickler's body they soon turned on us with a glimmer of hate in their shiny black orbs. They bared their fangs and growled.  
"They're gonna eat us!" Cried one of the men. And that's when the first wolf made his attack.  
The men fired their guns and the cries of the wolf rang out across the rocky terrain.  
Stickler turned to me and fired his gun. I felt the bullet graze my ear and shoot the second wolf in the head. "Aim for the head!" He yelled. But by the second time he had taken the wolf down he had lost one of his own men. "Damn it all to hell!" He fired his gun one last time and shot the first wolf in the head. It dropped to the ground with an arm from one his men still in its mouth.  
"That monster killed, Derk!"  
"Derk was stupid." Stickler commented. He didn't care that he had just lost one of his crew members.  
I stood their speechless as blood trickled down the side of my neck as it oozed out of my ear. I was too in shock to notice the pain.

A massive wave of other animals off in the distance cried out, probably because of the sound of Stickler's gun. It was something completely foreign to them.  
"We need to get moving." Stickler looked to me. "You're the map. Lead the way."  
"I hardly recognize a thing." I told him honestly.  
The howling continued.  
"Do ya want to die out here by one of those things?" He yelled at me.  
I huffed, irritated. I was scared and worried as much as them, and they expected me to know where to go. At least most of the roads had stayed the same but there were parts of buildings that had fallen, blocking our path, so we were forced to make several detours.  
All around us we could hear the animals lurking about. I had a feeling they were exactly where we were but were keeping their distance. I was glad for that and I'm sure the others were too, even of they didn't show it.  
Wherever Jim was I was glad he wasn't here. I was hoping that he was still up in the sky and away from danger. A part of me didn't want him following after me. I clutched my chest tight...that's right, he said he would follow me no matter what. That meant so much to me. It made me happy...and sad. I didn't want him getting hurt.

Eventually we made our way inside a small shop. From what I could tell it was a place to buy souvenirs. Anything that wasn't metal or glass was practically gone. Everything else had been eaten away by animals, the earth, and time itself. At least the registers were clearly noticeable. Anything resorting to paper, plastic or food, was gone.  
Suddenly, I screamed and jumped back, falling over a pile of stones and landed on my bottom.  
"Shut it! What the hell is the matter with ya?" Stickler yelled at me.  
I pointed. "Look," A pile of skeletons laid a few feet in front of us. Their bones were all mixed together and I couldn't tell exactly how many bodies were there. "I wonder how long they've been there." I said that more to myself than to anyone else but Stickler felt the need to let me know what he thought.  
"Who the hell cares? Get up!"  
I scrambled to my feet and dusted my bum off. "It looks like we can get through this door." I walked past Stickler and ignored his scoff. "We need to find a back door. Everything else is blocked...unless you want to do some rock climbing?" I glanced back at him. He wasn't happy with me.  
"Lead the way, brat."

I could feel all their eyes staring at my back.  
The hallways were dark so I walked with my hand resting on the wall and one hand out in front of me. "Ouch!" I jabbed my fingers into something metal and pushed on it. "It wont budge. I think something may be blocking the other side." I was worried we'd have to go back and find another way, and I didn't feel like doing that.  
"Out of the way." Stickler grabbed me and pulled me back. I heard his gun click and the hallway lit up with a single flash and then it was dark again, but not completely. Stickler had manage to budge the door so that it was barley hanging on its hinges and a ray of light shined in. "Break it down." He told his men and they carefully moved past us and pushed with all their might.  
The door fell and for a few seconds we heard nothing and then it finally hit the bottom. We all squished together to see where the door had fallen and it led us outside but it appeared that we were stuck on the second floor.  
"The drop isn't so bad." Said one of the pirates.  
"Then jump." Said the other.  
"No way!"  
"Move it!" Stickler said angrily and he pushed one them without warning. They landed hard on their side, scrapping their body on all the rubble. They cried out in pain and cursed something awful.  
Stickler looked to his other crew member. "After you."  
The pirate didn't want to jump, but he didn't want to be pushed either, so he braced himself and hoped for the best. Luckily he landed more gracefully.  
Stickler looked to me now and raised one brow. I wasn't going to argue with the pirate and I took a big breath. Maybe if I broke both my ankles we would be forced to sit put, that way Jim would be able to gain some ground on us. Then again, Stickler might make me walk anyway or have one of his men carry me, so there was really no point in hoping, was there?

I tried to land as best as I could but still ended up hurting myself and scraping my hands and knees. At least I wasn't as bad off as the first pirate.  
Stickler landed right after me. If he hurt himself he didn't show it and he urged us all to continue moving.  
From time to time I could hear the strange sounds of animals running all around us. I wasn't sure if I liked being surrounded by all this rubble. Was I safe from these beasts or was all the fallen mess around me giving them the upper hand?  
I glanced over at Stickler's gun and wondered how many bullets he had left. It couldn't have been many and it wouldn't be enough to keep us safe from another wolf attack or from an animal who was probably bigger.  
"We're losin' light." Said the second pirate. "I don' like this."  
"Shut yer mouth." Stickler said and he pressed the tip of his gun into my back to make me move faster.  
"Ouch! Stop that." I told him. "You want me to trip and fall and break my ankles? We wouldn't get anywhere then." Why was he tormenting me when I hadn't been the one talking?  
"Don't talk back to me, girly." And then he grabbed me, making me stop and everyone else. "Ya hear that?"  
We all stopped to listen. It was faint but we could all hear a soft whisper. Was it Jim? Was it other pirates who had escaped? Or was it some other kind of native being?  
Our questions were soon answered when we turned a corner and almost blew each other's heads off when we came face to face with part of Stickler's crew. There was ten of them and they all looked as shocked as us.  
"Where the hell have ya been?" Stickler said resting his gun at his side again. "Never mind. We's need to keep movin'."  
"Where are we goin'? To the treasure?" Said a stout pirate who looked like a pig.  
"Briar knows where to go." He shoved me. "Don' cha?" Stickler said.  
I rolled my eyes and looked at my surroundings once more. By the looks of it, at least from what was familiar to me, we were about two miles away. And with all this rubble we constantly had to climb over and maneuver around it could take us longer. "We're about two miles away, but with obstacles constantly getting in our way we won't reach the Vatican before nightfall. We'll have to stop and rest. Trying t get around this while its dark would be a big mistake."  
Stickler didn't like the sound of it, but he knew I was more than right and he grumbled. "Get us as far as ya can." And off we went.

We made it another few blocks before we were forced to stop. We could hardly see the few feet that was in front of us and we found a building that was still standing to take shelter in. Stickler and his men blocked the entrance door with piles of stone blocks and chairs and tables and we all sat down in a circle.  
Stickler took out a light stick and snapped it, making it glow. That way he was able to see who was all here and if anyone came or went he would know. That also meant no escape for me, not that I would want to considering the animals that were out there could easily kill me and I had no way of protecting myself.  
The cracked stone floor beneath me was cold and uncomfortable. I couldn't find it in me to fall asleep and I wondered how some of the other pirates were able to. Stickler on the other hand stayed awake and his gaze never left me. It made me uncomfortable and I forced myself to lie down and turn over on my side. I couldn't stand Stickler looking at me. It made me feel ill.  
Trying to get any amount of sleep was futile. Some of the crew members whispered to each other while the howls and cries of the animals outside let us know they were always near.  
And before I knew it, light started to shine in through the broken windows and we were off again.  
My legs were weak and I had little strength to keep going.  
"Don' die on me now." Stickler steadied me by placing one hand on my shoulder. "Watch yer step. Do ya want to live?"  
I took a deep breath as I tried to keep the tears at bay. I was hungry, my body hurt, and above all else I missed Jim. I wanted to see his smiling face again; Lucard and Maria too.  
I was so sure they were right behind us.

Stickler was smart. He knew when I was stalling and as punishment for that he would hit me in the back with his gun. It wasn't very hard but it still hurt and with how much pain I was in it didn't take much to deal damage to me.  
"We're almost there. I can see the top of the Vatican from here." And that was the truth. It wouldn't be much longer until Stickler got what he was looking for.  
We climbed over one last heaping pile of stone and rubble and came face to face with the Vatican. "This is it." I told them all. The only thing standing in our way was a poorly built brick wall with vines covering it. Sand bags were laid up against it and some were sprawled out everywhere.  
I stepped on something and heard it snap. Thinking it was just a twig I looked down to kick it away and that's when I realized that it was no twig at all but a skeleton instead. I gasped.  
"What's the matter?" He was obviously annoyed.  
"That," said one of the pirates and he pointed at something that all of us otherwise ignored despite the gruesome sight: hundreds of skeletons of human bodies were in piles and all around us, too. Regardless of things having grown or fallen on their bodies, it was simple enough to see them now.  
"What the hell happened here?" said the stout pig man.  
"This was a battlefield." I answered without looking at him. It was a ghastly sight indeed. Whatever happened here they were trying to protect something, thus the brick wall having been built.  
There were so many bodies we had no choice but to step on them as we made our way to the brick wall.  
"How do ya suppose we's get over this thing?" Some of the pirates started asking. And some of them even started trying to climb over it with the help of the vines but, they soon fell as they were too heavy and the thin vines, though bundled and entwined together, were not enough to support their weight.  
"Hold up now. Somethin' is on here." Some of the pirates pulled away most of the vines and the more they pulled the more something started to show.  
Stickler looked to me. "What does it say?" He asked.  
Most of the red paint had chipped away but I could figure it out with what little was left of it. "La morte è qui." I said. "Death has come."  
"Don' like that sound of that." Said the pirate whom Stickler had pushed out the window.  
Stickler groaned and shot the pirate dead. "Anyone else wanna complain?" No one said a word. I was surprised to find that no one ever questioned his authority. Maybe they were all scared of him.

As we worked together to find a way past the brick wall we all looked to the sky. Above us was Jim's ship and few others flew next to it on solar surfers. They made it known that they had spotted us as they turned back around to start their landing.  
"Move it!" Stickler cursed.  
Stickler's men finished tearing down one side of the brick wall and rushed on to the ground of the Vatican steps and we made our way inside. There was no need for us to open the doors because they were already broken down and more skeleton bodies littered the ground. I'll never know what happened to these people and what they were fighting for, or even when life here for people had ended. As far as I knew, it had been thousands of years since another being had stepped foot on these lands.  
"Hurry! Get inside!" Stickler shoved me inside just as Jim's ship landed and we all ran deep into the halls of the Vatican. "Which way?" Stickler was frantic as he shoved me along. He wanted me to hurry up and make a decision.  
"I can't think right will all that's going on!" I yelled—I had to, we were being shot at and everyone started yelling now.  
Stickler was fed up with me and smacked me across the face with the gun in his hand. I fell to the floor hard and tasted blood in my mouth. I grabbed for my mouth and covered it only to feel the hot liquid of blood overflow it. "What did I's say 'bout talkin' back, you worm?" He grabbed me by the shirt, ripping one of the sleeves off.  
I was dizzy and my ears were ringing. I was lucky Stickler didn't knock any teeth out.

The once beautiful Vatican that I had come to know and love was now a heaping pile of broken statues, stairs, paintings and so much more. It saddened me, and it made me angry. Millions of people had come here to gaze upon all its wonders and now there was hardly anything left to admire; not really anyway.  
Stickler held me fast by the arm and had me tell him which way to go. I had to think fast: if I was a piece of treasure that a piece of crap pirate was looking for, where would I be?  
"Up these stairs." I told Stickler. His men followed.  
As we turned the corner to go up the second flight of steps we saw that a good chunk of them were missing.  
"Jump!" Stickler told me.  
I jumped quickly as I did not want Stickler pushing me like he did to his other crew member. And as I jumped I got a glimpse of the darkness below. I tried not to think about what might be down there...or who.  
Stickler and the rest of his men followed but we were soon met by a dead end when the door in front of us was shut tight, and Jim and his men were close behind.  
"Where do we go?"  
"There's nowhere left to run!" Stickler's men were growing restless as our options dwindled. I had no problem with this but, I knew that if things didn't go Stickler's way, his gun would be the last thing I'd see.  
"You led us into a trap!" Stickler yelled at me.  
I shook my head. My mouth was still in pain so I couldn't talk to him and explain that it was never my intention to misguide them. I was just as lost and confused as they were.  
And then I heard his voice.  
"Briar!" It was Jim. He was right below me.  
I wanted to say something back—to let him know that I was here but, I was too scared.  
"I know you can hear me." He said. "Listen, I'm going to save you and you're going to be just fine. I'll get you out of here and we can go home. I promise."  
Hot tears stained my dirty cheeks; my shaking hands rested on the railing and put some of my weight on it for support. I was so tired of fighting. Going home sounded so nice. Resting by the fire with a nice drink in my hand and being near Jim was all but a dream to me now. And being surrounded by my friends was only wishful thinking. How could I save the people I cared most in my life when I couldn't save myself? I wanted to tell them all to go home and forget about me. I wasn't worth it.

A loud crack rattled in all our ears and I gripped the railing tighter, although it didn't matter, the stairs we were on broke in half and swayed to one side.  
I would have screamed if it didn't feel like my heart was going to jump out of my throat. All my cries were stuck in my lungs—and they burned.  
More shots were fired and I could see some of Stickler's men fall into the deep, dark hole we had jumped over. I spotted Jim twenty feet down. He was opposite of me and hiding behind a pillar. He only came out to shoot when it was clear for him. When he spotted me I could see him fighting the urge to come after me but, there was still plenty of Stickler's men left, including himself.  
Maybe I had just enough strength left to jump to him. If I timed it right he could easily catch me; and if we got it wrong we could both die. Was I ready for that kind of risk?  
I slid down on my bottom of what was left of the steps and held out my hand. "Jim," my voice cracked and could barely be heard from all the commotion. "Jim," I tried a little harder.  
"Not so fast!" Stickler grabbed me by the shirt, startling me and I lost my grip on the railing. I slipped and felt the steps leave from under me. I stopped for a second as Stickler held on to the last step with me still in his grasp. But the weight was too much he let go.  
"No!" I could hear Jim but his voice quickly became an echo as Stickler and I fell into the depths of the Vatican.

Down, down we went. We fell for a while until we hit a pool of ice cold water. It was dark and I kicked and flailed as I tried to reach the surface. At last air reached my lungs and I could breath again. Stickler was right beside me and I could hear him having a coughing fit.  
After a while my eyes adjusted to the darkness I could see little blue lights all alongside the walls of the hole we fell down into and way up at the top was a small white light where everyone was fighting; where Jim was.  
"Captain, is that you?" I heard a voice.  
I turned to the voice and squinted my eyes. There I could some of Stickler's men. Not all who had fallen down perished.  
"This way!" They told us as I saw them standing on some kind of body of land. "There's a cave down here! It's incredible!" They told us with excitement in their voice as they helped us out of the water.  
"A cave?" Stickler was in disbelief, and so was I. I shouldn't have been surprised. The Vatican was filled with many secrets and this cave just happened to be one of them. "Do ya know anythin' 'bout this?" Stickler asked me.  
I shook my head again. "No. This is news to me." My voice still hurt.  
He shoved me again and forced me to walk beside him with his men at our backs. "Let's get movin' Those damned fools will be after us with their solar surfers no doubt."

Not all hope was lost. There was still a chance that I could be reunited with all of my friends and I held on to that chance.  
The ceiling to the cave was high and I could see more little blue lights twinkling in the dark. Were they crystals of some sort, or maybe even a living organism? Whatever it was it gave off just enough light to guide our way.  
The pirates who made it down here first admitted to not getting very far because they were unsure of what lurked ahead.  
"We's thought we's heard someone talkin'...mumblin'." Said one pirate. "But as ya see...there's no one here."  
"You heard voices?" I asked. They nodded to me with a look of worry in their eyes. "I doubt anything or anyone is down here. You probably just heard the fighting from above echo down here." The pirates did not look convinced.  
"I's wouldn't be so sure 'bout that." Stickler held his arms out to the side and made me stop walking.  
I looked ahead and we stood at the edge of a cave room much much bigger. It was rounded with uneven ground with a bright light shining down in the middle. For a moment I thought my eyes had deceived me. A shadowy figure moved from its hunched position and stood straight and tall. But this was no trick being played on the mind. This was real; this figure was really there! And the light shining down it must have been from a well that was somewhere in the Vatican courtyard or garden.  
We moved closer trying to get a better look at the figure. I didn't want to but Stickler forced me to.  
As it turned around to face us, sensing our presence, I saw that its whole body was a misty-like shape. It wore a long, black cloak and the hood covered its face but its long bony arms and hands stretched out toward us. And right in the middle of its chest was a glowing red light.  
"Stickler!" We all turned to see Jim. He and a handful of his men had made it down. I saw Lucard and Maria; even Silver was there with them. Jim raised his gun and fired, but the bullet never reached us as an unknown force pushed everyone back. Stickler and his men went flying in the opposite direction of me. Jim went flying and so did everyone else.  
For a while we were all disoriented. The ground beneath my feet started to shake and I struggled to stand up. I fell a few times but once the shaking subsided I fought to get back up. This was my chance for escape; this was my chance to tell Jim that I loved him.  
"Jim!" I yelled. I was too focused on him to see that everyone had started fighting again.  
"Briar!" Jim fired his gun and shot down a few more pirates before it was clear enough for him to run after me. Lucard and Maria held the remaining pirates at bay.  
We were so close. I could almost touch him; just a few more feet.  
BAM!  
I watched as Jim came to a sudden stop and fell to his knees and then face first into the ground. I dropped to my knees, gasping in despair as I crawled the rest of the way over to him. The ground shook again.  
"No, Jim." I flipped him over and my heart shattered into a million pieces. There was nothing but dust left of it. Blood seeped from his chest and I ripped his shirt open to find that he had been shot in the heart. I looked up to see who the culprit was and it was none other than Stickler. He pointed his gun at me, ready to fire and from the corner of my eye I saw the shadowy figure flick his hand to the side and Stickler went flying back. I then noticed Lucard fall to his side and scream out in pain. Maria dropped to this side and tried her best to protect him from harm. Everyone else was still fighting their hardest but, I didn't care anymore. I looked down at Jim. His eyes were still open but he was gone; he was dead.  
No matter how much I shook him or called out his name, the soft peach color in his cheeks were turning pale and his blue eyes were fading to a dark misty color.

The fighting spirit in me was no more. I was done. If Jim was gone then I didn't care about living anymore. This was all my fault! Jim was dead because he tried to save me and I wasn't strong enough. I wailed; grief stricken as I cradled him in my arms and rocked back and forth. I closed his eyes and rested my head on his.  
The fighting was still going on but I didn't care anymore.  
I would no longer be able to hear Jim's voice or his laugh. He'd never smile again or get angry. He'd never be sad or even happy.  
"Please come back, Jim. I love you. Please, come back me." I whimpered as my tears fell on his cheeks.  
Suddenly, the noise from everyone stopped and I looked up to see that they themselves had stopped.  
Time had stopped.  
I felt someone behind me and looked back but, no one was there. I turned back around and gasped as I saw the black figure hovering over me. It bent over, its hand digging out a glowing red stone from deep within its chest and it held it our for me and in a raspy voice it said: "Take it."  
I stared at the stone in its hand and jumped as his voice startled me, urging me to take the stone once more. And I did. I could feel a wave of energy surge through me and any kind of physical pain I felt before was now gone, although my heart still ached for Jim.  
I could feel my consciousness fade as I struggled to stay awake but alas darkness overcame me.

Next I knew I staring up at the ceiling of Jim's council room. Confused, I sat up on the couch and I felt a bunch of hair fall over my shoulders. Strange, I thought. I grabbed the long dark stands and came to find that this hair was mine. I pulled at my hair just to make sure and by now I was really starting to freak out. What the heck happened to me? Why was I back on Jim's ship? Did someone save me? Did Stickler win? What happened?!  
There was something else rather unpleasant that I soon realized. I was chubby again. Now I was really confused. I looked to my hand and saw that Silver's red bandana was wrapped around it. What was once an old wound now stung me for a second time.  
Just as I was about to get up off the couch and look out on deck the handle to the door squeaked as it twisted and I held my breath.  
"Oh, you're awake." It was Jim.  
I looked at him, eyes wide.  
"Uh, are you okay, miss?"  
"What...?" I was breathless.  
Jim walked into the room and closed the door behind him. "You've been through something very traumatic and you're probably in shock. It's best if you don't move around." He cautioned me. "My name is Captain James Pleiades Hawkins but, you can call me Jim...Or Captain."  
I gulped and covered my mouth with a shaking hand. I started crying again.  
"Oh, uh, please don't cry, miss. Everything is fine. You're safe now." He walked a little closer to me.  
I wiped my tears to look at him more clearly. Jim was dead just seconds before and yet here he was, alive and well and calling me "miss". And there was something else, too. I could feel a lump in my pocket and it was the stone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait.  
> I've got some stuff going on at home.  
> A review is food for the writer's soul. And remember: the more people review the more inspiration I will have and the faster the chapters will come out.  
> I have two other Jim Hawkins stories on here: Crystal Heart and His Girl. If you haven't read them yet and you don't mind mature stories, check it out.


	36. Deja Vu

"This isn't happening!" I shot up from the couch and darted for the door but my legs gave way and I fell on my stomach.   
"Whoa! Careful." Jim rushed to my side to help me up. He felt so warm as he put his hands on my shoulders.   
I swated at him. "No! You died!"  
Jim was the confused one now. He wasn't sure whether or not to leave me on the floor or continue helping up. As far as he was concerned I had lost my mind...and maybe I really had lost it "I think you should sit back down, miss." He cautioned.   
I pushed him away. I don't know why I did; I was freaking out and didn't know what to do. I found it in me to move and bolted for the door. Jim was quick though and grabbed me by the waist and held me back. "Calm down." He said and hauled me back over to the couch where flopped me down. "SIT." And he held me down by the shoulders for a few seconds. He grabbed a chair and slid it closer to the couch and sat down. "Let's start over, shall we? My name is Jim. I'm the Captain of this ship. Can you tell me your name?"  
I stared at him intently. I wasn't making a very good second first impression, now was I? "Brair. Briar Edwards." My hands were shaking and my right leg wouldn't stop tapping the floor.   
Jim smiled. "Briar Edwards." Despite the circumstances it was nice to hear him say my name. "My crew and I found you floating in a lifeboat. Can you tell me why? Do you remember?"  
I continued to stare into his deep blue eyes. "I was on a ship with other pirates...decent pirates."  
Jim raised a brow. "Decent pirates?" He chuckled a little. "That's the first time I've heard that."  
"Its true." I told him. "I would have died without them."  
Hearing this Jim became more serious. "Can you elbrate on that?"  
I wasn't sure if telling him about Silver was a good idea, or even Stickler. How would that alter things? I was trying my best to put all the pieces together while maintaining a proper composure in front of Jim. Well...as proper as I could manage. "I'm tired and my body aches...and I'm hungry."  
Jim sat back in his chair and gave a short sigh. "Of course. I must apologize. I shouldn't have handled this situation more delicately."  
I wasn't used to hearing Jim speak so formally. Was he really this way when we first met? I had become such good friends with him that I got see a different side of him. Now it had all be reversed.   
Jim sat up and put the chair back in its rightful place. "If you promise to stay put I'll go get you some food. How does that sound? Do we have a deal?" I nodded. "Good," he said. "Then I'll be right back." He left the room and I heard him lock the door.

I was given the chance to take a real breath and my hands finally stopped shaking. My nerves were shot and I could do nothing but get up and pace the room. Somehow I had gone back in time and the stone in my pocket was the only clue I had as to how I made it back here. If it was possible to travel to the future like I had from the very beginning, then it was possible to go back, too.

Jim returned soon after I let my thoughts run wild. I was in mid pace when he opened the door.  
"Take a seat. I don't think eating while standing will be very comfortable."  
I sat back down on the couch and Jim handed me the plate of food. It was the same: chicken with mash potatoes and vegetables. As I took my first bite I could feel the tears coming again. I was so sick and tired of crying all the dang time, but I couldn't help it.  
"Are you going to be alright?" Jim asked.  
I sniffed. "Yes." I said with a full mouth. "The food is really good."  
"We'll be reaching Montressor Space Port in about a week. Maybe we can find someone there who knows you."  
I shoved my mouth full of food again. Nobody knows who I am besides Silver and I had no idea where he was. As least I knew wasn't dead...  
I decided it was best to tell Jim part of the truth, or at least more of what I knew from the first time around. "I don't know anyone there and no one will know who I am. I'm not from around here."  
"What do you mean?" Jim took a seat again but he kept the chair where it was. I guess he figured I wouldn't try running again.  
"It's a long story," I started. "But I'm from earth. I met this pirate named Silver. He helped me, he and his crew. If not for him another pirate who goes by the name of Stickler would have killed me and left my body on Jaggerveen. That's where I ended up, you see." I dabbed at my tears.   
Was it safe to tell Jim all this? I didn't know.  
"Wait!" Saod Jim. "You know Silver?"  
I found it hard to swallow all of a sudden. Was I not supposed to tell him this much. "Kind of..."  
Jim seemed more inclined to hear me out. "Tell me, how was he? Did he look alright?"  
It was sweet to see Jim act the same way when he first found out I knew Silver. I nodded to him. "He seemed okay, but I have no idea where he is now. He saved me from when our ship was ransacked by pirates." I paused. "By Stickler."  
Jim slumped back in his chair. "I'm guessing you have no idea what Stickler's motifs are, do you?"  
I shook my head and watched as he clasped his hands together and looked to the floor, deep in thought. "Earth?" It sounded like Jim didn't believe me. "Where did you hear about earth?"  
I set my empty plate of food to the side. "Because that's where I'm from. Some how I traveled through time and wound up on a planet called Jaggerveen...Like it told you."  
"Is that even possible?" Jim asked.  
I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know. I mean, I guess so seeing as I'm here and all." I suddenly got an idea and held out my arm to him. "Take a sample of my blood. I'm one hundred percent human. I have perfect DNA."  
Jim waved a dismisive hand. "There's no need for that right now."  
I rested my arm at my side again. "So, you believe me now?"  
Jim scratched his head. "I'm having a hard time with that."  
I wanted to say more to him. There was so much I wanted to say. But how could I? I was here now...at the beginning. Our relationship was at ground level. If I told him the whole truth that I loved him...I might as sign my own death warrant.

Suddenly, the pocket with the stone started to get hot and the objects and walls in the room started to shift. Startled, I grabbed on to the side of the couch and that's when I saw that none of this bothered Jim. It was as if he wasn't seeing the same thing as me...He probably wasn't.   
The scene changed and I was standing in the Benbow Inn. I was wearing a dress Sarah had given me.   
"Are you okay, Briar?" I heard a soft voice.  
I turned to see Sarah standing behind me. I was so happy to see her that I let my emotions fly and hugged her. Realizing what I was doing I quickly let got of her. "I'm sorry!"  
Sarah chuckled. "Oh, no it's okay. You just suddenly spaced out. I was worried there for a second."   
I tried to collect my thoughts and think of something to say that wouldn't be too weird. "I'm okay. Where's Jim?"  
"Jim? He left yesterday, don't you remember? After you told him you had seen Stickler around town he rushed in to the city. I'm not sure when he'll be back."  
Okay, I thought. I had a better sense as to where I was now, but I had a feeling things would change on me again.  
"Why not go outside and get some fresh air?" Sarah suggested.  
"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea."

Being outside and near the garden was what I needed. I hadn't been here for so long I was starting to get sentimental. The flowers, the clouds and green grass, it made me feel at peace. Being here felt so right. This was home to me and I was scared that I'd never see it again, and yet, here I was.  
The day continued on as if nothing had changed. People acted the same; had the same conversations; ate the same food; wore the same clothes. I felt like I was dreaming, so much so that my head started to spin. I had to retreat to my bedroom. All of my belongings were still there the way I left them when I was first trying to settle in.   
The air was stuffy in the room and I opened a window to let some fresh air in. I laid on my bed and stared up at the ceiling until my eyes became heavy.

Next I knew I was standing in the middle of town with people rushing by me. Confused and still feeling slightly dizzy I stumbled back and bumped into someone.  
"Oh! Sorry..." I turned myself around and nearly cursed. Lucard was standing right next to me. He seemed just as shocked as me.  
"Oh!...I'm sorry. I didn't see you there." He told me with a silly look on his face.  
"No," I told him. "It's my fault. I'm not looking where I'm going." I rubbed my head, feeling worse.   
"Lucard! Wait for me!" It was Maria.  
I was starting to remember now. This was the day I met the two of them.  
Maria looked at me surprised, too. "Hi there. Is my friend bothering you?"  
I shook my head. "No," I looked at the two of them in bewilderment. How was this all happening? I could feel the stone against my leg as it sat in my pocket. Could this small red stone do all this? Was this the treasure...the power Stickler was after?  
As I continued to stare at Lucard it was only then that I finally realized who he reminded me of: it was Jim. He had his blue eyes and handsome smile. He even had his hair, only it was slightly darker. I had no attraction towards him, but yet he reminded me of Jim so much...and I didn't know why. I don't know why I didn't see it sooner.

I was going to ask him a question when everything around me spread out like a oil painting and then I was squished inside a bathroom stall. I felt a certain chill and looked at what I was wearing: it was the little black dress Jim had given me.   
I opened the door to the stall and stared at myself in the mirror. I was slimmer around the waist but not quiet to the point where I had worked so hard to get to...to be "perfect" for Jim.  
Music could be heard just outside and I walked out to join the crowd known as the night life. The club was just as I remembered. I could feel the vibration of the music rush pass my skin and as I walked further along I found Jim waiting for me on the dance floor. My heart dropped to my stomach. The butterflies in my tummy were back. If I did this the first time I could do it again. I walked up to Jim and let him take charge as a new song started to play. He put one hand on my back and pulled me in ever so slightly and rested his head on mine. I could smell his cologne.   
If there was a moment I didn't want to lose it was this one. That night at the club with Jim had been one of the best nights of my life. It was one of the few times I had been this close to him.  
I love you. I love you. I love you. I said it repeatedly in my head as I let the sound of music shower over us.   
He was so confident in his movements and I followed his every step.

And then it all changed again. I was sitting in class with all my classmates surrounding me. Jim was at the head of class and reading from a book while we all followed along. I was irritated. I didn't want to be ripped from that precious moment, yet here I was...forced to watch Jim from across the room.   
When was it going to end? When was it going to stop? I needed a moment to catch my breath and collect my thoughts. There had to be a way to control this stone. I rested my hand on my pocket where the stone hid. Taking it out to look at it would be too risky.

Again and again the scenes changed. I was unable to chose how long I wanted to stay in those memories; those moments of utter bliss when I shared them with Jim.  
I was beginning to see a pattern. Every toss and turn was a memory I was fond of in a way, or with a person I cared about. The stone was trying to tell me something. At least that was the feeling I was getting. But it was driving me insane. I wanted to tell someone but I couldn't bring myself to do it. They'd think I was crazy.  
"Are you listening to me, little bird?"  
I spun around to see Silver. We were standing in the alley where he suddenly showed up after being away for so long. "What?" I said.  
Silver seemed impatient. "I said Stickler is here on Montressor and he has his eyes on you. You have to be careful!"  
Silver wouldn't think I was nuts, would he? I took the stone from my pocket and held it front of him. "I have it!" I could see that I startled him with this news. "I don't know how or why, but I have what Stickler wants. This is the second time I've had this conversation with you. I know what's going to happen."  
I saw the light from the red stone reflect in silver's one good eye. "Briar...where did you get that?" He reached to touched it but I stuffed it back in my pocket too fast for him to grasp it.  
"It's hard to explain. Just trust me when I say that I know what's going to happen. You should let Jim know you're here. He misses you."  
Silver furrowed his brows. "Briar...you're not making any sense."  
I almost laughed. "It doesn't matter. This conversation will be over soon. Just trust me." And I was right, but it was different. I was standing in place while everything fast forward around me. I saw the finals run by in a matter of seconds. The storm on the ship was over before I could fully comprehend what was really going on. The massage Jim gave me was a blip. And then it suddenly stopped. I was looking at Jim's back. This was very familiar and a memory that wasn't too old.   
Stickler was just outside and Jim had me come in here to speak with him privately.  
For a while nothing was happening and then I turned to open the door and that's when Jim said: "I'll follow you."  
Hearing him say that made me so happy. "Please don't follow me. It'll only bring you pain." I told him. Everything in me was telling me to stop and turn around...to look at him and tell him how I felt, but I was too weak, too scared to change anything.  
"Briar...what are you saying?"  
"I don't want you getting hurt."

Jim wasn't able to answer me back as I opened the door and was met by gun shots and collapsing stairs. We were at the vatican.  
"Jim!" I screamed. "I'm right here!"   
"I'll get you back, Briar! Don't you worry."  
I wanted run right then and there but Stickler was stuck on my hip and I could shake him from me.  
I saw my opportunity to jump and went for it and just like the first time Jim's fingers slipped through mine and down I fell.   
There was no time to catch my breath as I was soon pulled out of the water and forced to keep moving.   
"They'll be after us soon with their solar sails. We need to hurry." Stickler said.  
I rolled my eyes. If only I could shut him up and possibly steal his gun. If only I could alter the situation in my favor...no matter how small. I needed to think of something and fast!

As we neared the open caved room with the black smokey figure standing under the light, I pushed Stickler away from me and ran for it. I ran back to the enterance and smiled as I saw Jim and the others make their way in.  
"You guys!" I yelled.  
"Stickler!" Jim yelled and pointed his gun at the enemy.   
I could never reach him, though, as the ground shook and I fell over, losing my balance just like before. When I got back up I could see Jim running toward me.  
"No, get out of the way!" I told him. "Stop!" But it was too late. I didn't say it soon enough. Or maybe he couldn't hear me.   
I watched a second time as Jim fell to his knees and collapsed to the floor. "No!" I screamed and rushed over to his side to turn him over on his back. It was exactly as before: Jim was dead.  
My tears found their way back on my cheeks. I couldn't stop crying...I couldn't save him. And then I realized something: the stone was gone and I looked to my side to see the mysterious figure bending down to my level. It gave me the red stone again and placed it in my hand.   
I remembered everything now. But why was this thing...this creature helping? What reason did it have to do anything in my favor?  
And then I was back again...stuck in that councel room until Jim walked through the door. We had the same conversation before the scene changed again.  
Again and again I was reliving specific moments of my life, unable to change them do to fear of messing something up. But in result to that it meant something else too: I couldn't save Jim. No matter how hard I tried to tell him to stop.

By the fourth time around I was so fed up. I couldnt keep track of what was going on anymore. My head was aching, my heart was broken. Was there really no way around this? I didn't want go keep watching Jim die. It hurt worse every time. It was a reminder that I wasn't strong enough to change anything or save anyone.  
"It's a monster!" One of the pirates shouted as the black, smokey figure turned to look at us. I knew I had a few seconds before Jim showed up and I turned to take Stickler's gun.  
"Stickler!" And like that the ground shook. I fell to one side while Stickler lost his footing and fell a few feet away from me.   
I dropped the gun as the ground shook beneath my feet again.  
"Give that back!" Stickler reached for me and pulled at my hair.  
"No! Not this time! I won't lose!"  
"Shut up!" He yelled.  
"NO!" I kicked him and hurried to my feet and pointed the gun at Stickler's head. I hesitated for a second. The thought of taking another person's life, even if it was someone like Stickler, frightened me. There was no time for second guessing myself though and I fired. The bullet grazed Stickler's cheek as I was brought down by one of his men, dropping the gun by the sheer force of him bringing me down. My aim was off and I wasn't able to end his miserable life after all.  
"Briar!" Jim shot at the pirate who held me down and I felt his weight topple over me.  
I pushed him off with all my strength and got up to run. I ran as fast as I could. Jim was right there and he was closer than before.  
I felt certain that my actions had changed the outcome of this even for the better.  
Something in Jim changed though. I saw a look in his face that had me thinking otherwise. "No!" He shouted.  
I looked back at Stickler for just a second and saw him raise his gun at us both. I didn't bother telling Jim to get out of the way because there was a better way to save him. I kept running and finally I reached him; I put my hands on him and pushed him back.  
A gun fired.  
"I love you, Jim!" And then there was nothing. Complete and total darkness.

 


	37. Ti Amo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I failed to mention in the last chapter that this story is nearly finished. It's been a fun ride.

"I love you, Jim!"  
Briar pushed me hard on my chest, knocking me back. At that very moment a gun went off and echoed across the caved room. Briar fell limp at her side and I rushed over to see if she was okay. "Briar!" I picked her up and held her in my arms. My words were stuck in my throat. I couldn't bring myself to say her name again.  
On one side of her temple was a hole the size of a small coin, and on the other side, it was the same. Blood seeped from both ends, this sudden pain was unbearable. I didn't think it was possible to hurt this much.  
I heard Lucard scream out in pain and fall to his side. That's right, if anything were to happen to either Briar or me, Lucard would cease to exist. He was dying.  
I looked down at Briar. Despite all the blood splattered on her face, it looked like she was only sleeping. A drop of water fell on her cheek and then another. It was my tears staining her beautiful face. Wake up, I thought. We need to have a life together, you and I. We need to get married and have a family. Please wake up, Briar. I want you to hold me back and have our bodies get tangled together. I want to make love to you and tell you how important you are to me.  
I grabbed my spare gun resting at my side and searched the area for Stickler. He was going to pay with his life. Screw bringing him back to be tried for his crimes. I was going to break every limb on his body. But I never got the chance to do it; this hood figure, this creature used an unknown force with the simplest movement of his hands and pushed anyone back who got to close. And any attacks towards him were blocked by an invisible shield. For a moment I thought it was going to kill us all.  
This creature knocked down all pirates and even some of my crew. Even I could feel the weight of its power pulling me down and I wasn't anywhere near it. Slowly, but surely, this being walked closer to me—a red stone beating like a heart in the middle of its chest. The thin piece of fabric it wore couldn't mask its gangling arms and legs. It bent down toward me and I pointed my gun to shoot. The creature was fast and held my wrist, squeezing it. I was forced to drop the gun and that's when it finally let me go.  
It held one long, bony finger to its lips and that's when I saw the face a being with sunken cheeks and black eyes with dark circles underneath. It ripped out the stone from its chest and offered it to me. I was unsure if taking it was the right choice but something in me told me to do it. When I grabbed it the stone was warm—almost hot—and the creature grabbed my wrist again but did not squeeze it. I stared back at it and for a split second it was not a creature I was looking at, but a man—a human.

No words needed to be spoken to know who this man was. There was a deep understanding of the uncanny resemblance. And like that the creature let me go.  
Suddenly, Briar was gone; the cave and everyone in it was gone, including the mysterious man and I was now standing outside in the dark. I saw the Benbow Inn and another house sitting somewhat close to it. I could tell it was newly built. A single light from a candle was lit in a room on the second story of the neighboring house. The silhouette of a woman walked over to it and blew it out.  
Something in me told me to go check it out. I felt weird walking into this strange house but I felt like it was the right thing to do. The home was warm and tidy. It was beautifully decorated, yet it was with all things simple. I heard a creak above me and walked up the spiral staircase to check on the sound. I was met with a long, dark hallway with only the light of the moon to guide my path. All doors save for one was closed. I walked up to the door sitting ajar and poked my head inside. I saw two people sleeping together: it was a mother and child.  
My pocket quickly became warm and I felt the stone vibrating. When it stopped I walked the rest of the way into the room and quietly closed the door behind me. I hovered over the bed to get a closer look at the sleeping woman and child. I almost lost my breath as I now understood who they were: Briar and Lucard.  
Lucard was just a small boy, maybe four or five, and Briar was pregnant. That's right; Lucard told me that when Stickler killed me I left Briar pregnant with our second child: Auriel. Briar must have been eight to nine months along.  
Briar's eyes flickered open and she looked up at me in a sleepy daze. "Jim…?"  
I sat down on the bed next to her. "I'm here," I told her and gently caressed her long hair lying all to one side.  
"I dreamt you went away." Her voice sounded groggy, but I could still make out what she was saying.  
"I'm here now, and I'm not leaving again." She pursed her lips together as she tried not to cry. Tears fell down the sides of her temple and I was reminded of how she died to save me. I wiped her tears away.  
"Don't leave me again." She begged quietly, careful not wake little Lucard. I looked over at his sleeping form. He was so small and cute and I smiled at the way he clung to Briar.  
I cupped Briar's face in my hands and I bent down to press my forehead against hers. "I'm going to fix everything. We'll be together again soon." I wanted to kiss her lips so badly but a part of me felt like it would be wrong. Even though we had already been together in this time, it was different for me than it was for Briar. If I kissed her now it would be like taking advantage of her. I wanted our first kiss together to happen at the same time for us. For now, I kissed her forehead and wished her goodnight. She quickly fell back to sleep and before this moment ended I rested my hand on her belly and felt the soft imprint of Auriel. I was overcome with joy and placed a hand over my mouth to stop myself from making any noise of cheering. I was so happy. This was the future I wanted with Briar, but according to what Lucard told me, Stickler takes this all away. I wasn't going to let that happen.  
Next I knew, I was standing in a brightly lighted room. Toys were scattered all over the floor and a messy bed was sitting up alongside a wall. I could hear a soft noise coming from somewhere in the room and I carefully stepped over the toys and followed the sound. Behind a giant chest of toys, I found a little girl whose back was facing me, putting together a device. When she finished she held it up and it started floating in the air and it lit up with bright green lights. It suddenly dropped and the girl grumbled.

I moved in closer to get a better look at her but when I did my foot accidentally hit a toy and she quickly turned her head to look at me. We locked eyes and for a moment neither of us moved. She looked at me curiously as she turned herself completely around and stood up. Her light brown hair was long and put into a braid and she wore a cute frilly nightgown that looked a little too big for her. She walked up to me slowly, but she was not afraid. I had the feeling she was more concerned about me stepping away. She looked to be about four and was less than half my size.  
All of a sudden she raised her arms, wanting me to pick her up, and I did so. Her big blue eyes sparkled with innocent curiosity.  
"I know you." Her little voice said to me.  
"You do?"  
She grabbed my face with her tiny hands, surprising me a bit and nodded. "You're my papa."  
My breath was caught in my chest.  
"This is the first time I've met you, but I know it's you." She told me as she finally let my face go. "I haven't met mama yet, though."  
I furrowed my brows out of confusion. "What do you mean?"  
She paused for a moment before answering me. "A bad man killed her. Big brother tells me not to talk about it. Ever." She paused again. "That same bad man killed you, too." She was talking about Stickler. Suddenly she whispered to me. "Do you have the stone?"  
I wasn't sure how to respond to that question but I didn't want to lie to her, so I nodded. "I do."  
She smiled a little. "You're gonna save us, huh?"  
"I'm trying," my words almost didn't make it out of my mouth. "I'm going to try, Auriel," I told her honestly.  
She smiled sadly. I'd never seen such an expression come across a little kid's face before. It tore me up inside. Auriel said nothing to me, only wrapped her arms around my neck and held me close. Her little body was shaking and I didn't know if it was because she was cold, or if she was crying. "I love you, papa." She whispered.

I didn't want our time together to end. There was so much I wanted to ask her, but I wasn't given the chance.  
"Jim, let's talk." I heard a familiar voice say my name and I opened my eyes to find myself back on my ship in my estate room. I quickly turned around and saw Briar standing before me. She saw the look of confusion on my face and asked: "Jim, are you going to be okay?"  
I couldn't believe it. She was standing right in front of me! I smiled and rushed to her and held her against me. I didn't hesitate this time and I kissed her soft, welcoming lips. Her body went stiff for a second and then I felt her loosen up. I didn't know where to put my hands first so I just wrapped my arms around her. Where on her body was I going to kiss next? I didn't know, so I kissed her lips again…and again. The taste of her excited me and I wanted more; her breath on my lips made me fall that much more in love with her.  
She suddenly pushed me back a little to catch her breath. "W-what…why?"  
I caressed her soft, warm cheek. "I thought I lost you."  
Briar looked at me confused. "What are you talking about? And why me?"  
Now I was the one confused. As far as I was concerned, she had loved me from the very beginning. At least that's what Lucard told me. "I don't understand. I thought this was what you wanted."  
She struggled with her words. "I DO want this, but…people like us just don't mix." She closed her eyes as soon as she said this and I could see the guilt rising up inside her. "Aren't you worried about what people will think of us?"  
"To hell with those people," I told her. "I love you, Briar Edwards, and I think you're beautiful." It felt so good to say that.  
She buried her face in her hands and started crying. "I've been waiting to hear you say that for so long."  
I smiled at her and brought her close to me again. "Trust me, so have I."  
"I feel so embarrassed now."  
"Why?" I asked her.  
"Because…"  
I chuckled and rubbed my hands up and down her back. "You and I have a lot to talk about."  
She looked up at me and smiled a little. Her eyes were wet with tears. "I'm sure we do."  
I grinned. "No, we have A LOT to talk about," I said again in regards to Lucard being our son and the fact that I kind of sort flipped back and forth through time.  
Briar raised a brow. "O-okay," she cleared her throat and took a step back from me. "We have to get back to being serious with the matter at hand: the enemy is right outside this door. What are we going to do? If I go with Stickler there is a chance we can still beat him, but right now he has us cornered and if we do anything stupid he can have us all killed."  
I nodded, understanding the situation at hand. I was coming back to reality. "I have a plan, but in order for it to work I can't tell you what that is?"  
Briar shot me a cross look. "That doesn't sound very helpful."  
I shrugged. "Well, we'll see." I could feel the stone still in my pocket. If anything bad were to happen I could easily change the outcome…right? "Just trust me," I begged her and she reluctantly complied and followed me out the door.  
"About damn time." Stickler said. He took hold of Briar's arm and pulled her over to him. "Ya not as stupid as I thought ya t' be, Captain." He started to leave with Briar.  
My hand was steady at my side as my fingers lightly brushed against the handle of my gun. "Hey, Stickler," I said calmly. He turned to look at me and that's when I swiftly took my gun and shot him between the eyes. The dastardly pirate fell hard to the floor. While gasps escaped the mouth of others, there were a few who were rendered speechless. Briar was among that group.  
"What the actual hell…?" said one of Stickler's crew members. "You…you actually killed him?" What I thought would soon turn into a bloodbath turned into something else that I was not expecting. All of Stickler's men dropped their weapons and released those they held captive.  
I looked to Lucard who was just as surprised. He noticed me looking at him but he just shook his head. He had no idea what was going on.  
"We's never had the guts to do it." A pirate said standing off to the side. "This was never our fight. Stickler threatened us all if we didn' follow his orders." Many of the other pirates nodded in agreement.  
"Why didn't you band together to take him down?" I asked as I pulled Briar to my side. No one was going to take her away from me again.  
The answer the pirates gave me was fear. They were all scared of Stickler, but now it was over. This never had anything to do with them, I understood that, but they were still pirates and had severely injured my crew. Besides that, they all had a bounty on their heads. I almost felt bad for these pirates. Half the things they were in trouble for Stickler probably had them do. What was I going to do with all of them?  
"Ahem," a pirate stepped forward. He was a tall, overweight, pig man. "My name is Derk. If anythin' happens to the Captain I am next in line." I looked around to see the pirates nod in agreement. "We's are by no means innocent, but we's ask for yer mercy."  
All eyes were on me now. "I see," I started. "If you help with the repairs on my ship I'll allow you a heads start. How does that sound?"  
The pirate named Derk looked surprised. He didn't think he would get an answer like that out of me. "A-alright," he said. "We's need t' fix our ship, too."  
I nodded to this. "Let's help each other out then. But right now I think we could all use some rest. Everyone stays on my ship. If any pirate leaves, I will have you in chains. Understood?" They were eagerly nodding. I didn't think it was going to be that easy and was still a little wary at first. "Any of my crew members strong enough I'll have take charge for the moment. As for me, I will be retreating to my room for some refreshments. Briar, Lucard, Maria, and Silver will follow me. I need to speak with all of you."

Lucard was irritated and let me know it as soon as the door to my room closed. We were all together now. "What you're doing is dangerous." He told me.  
I took a seat and poured myself a glass of red wine. "Want some?" I offered to pour him some but he just shook his head.  
"Do you have any idea what they could do to us?" Lucard took away the bottle of wine and set it somewhere out of my reach. "They could kill us all in our sleep!"  
"Calm down," Maria told him. Lucard finally backed off before I had the chance to tell him in a less friendly way.  
"The lad is right." Silver said. "No matter our relationship, Jim, I am still a pirate. I knows how the lot of 'em think."  
I looked at him. "What does your gut tell you, Silver?"  
He thought for a moment. "Uneasy," and then he added: "but I don' think they'll try anything…to be perfectly honest."  
I looked at Lucard. "See? There you go."  
He grumbled and crossed his arms.  
"What are we going to do next?" Briar asked. She had been quiet for so long I wasn't sure she would say anything. "I mean, after the ship is repaired, what will we do? Go back to Montressor, or continue the voyage?"  
"Actually," Lucard opened his mouth, "there are some things you should know."  
I quickly stopped Lucard before he could say anything else. Briar had been through enough already. I was worried that if Lucard told her the truth about himself and Maria then she might faint or lose her mind. "Not right now, Lucard. In time, yes, but not right now."  
Lucard stepped down from wanting to spill out all his secrets and composed himself. "Fine...I mean, yes Captain."  
I finished off my glass of wine. "Now that I have your thoughts on this situation, you can all leave now." They headed for the door and started exiting, but I called for Briar to stop. "Everyone but you, Briar,"  
She stopped at the door. "Yes?"  
I pointed to the door. "Please close it. I want to speak with you privately."  
Her face went red. "O-okay," she did as I said and closed the door and walked up to me. "Yes, Jim?"  
I stood up and ran my fingers through her hair a couple of times. "Are you going to be okay?" I asked. She only nodded. "Look at me." I lifted her chin and kissed her. "Even being this close to you is not enough for me."  
Briar bit down on her lip. "I…"  
I smiled. I loved how shy she was. "You can tell me anything."  
She stared up at me with rosy red cheeks and said. "I'm not very good at these things…I'm nervous." She admitted. "It feels like my heart is beating faster than a mile a minute."  
"Don't be nervous," I told her. "Just be yourself. Briar, you don't have to try and be perfect. Look at me, I'm not perfect."  
Briar gave me a short laugh. "Oh please. You are definitely perfect."  
I tucked part of her hair behind her ear. "Will you grow your hair out? I miss it being long."  
She blushed. "Oh uh, okay."  
I put my hands on her hips and gently squeezed as I pulled her in for another kiss. "Stay here with me tonight. I'd appreciate your company." Before she had time to answer I slipped off her uniform jacket before picking her up and walking her over to my bed. I laid her down gently and took off my jacket as well to be more comfortable.  
"Hey, wait," she said as I rested beside her. "I, uh…"  
I put one arm next to her head while I rested my free hand on her side and pressed our bodies together, closing the gap between our mouths. Her whole body was warm and I could feel myself melting against her. I left tender kisses on her neck as I slowly moved my hand up under her shirt, but she stopped me before I could reach my destination.  
"Stop," she said a little out of breath. "I need to tell you something." I stayed silent and waited for her to tell me what was on her mind. "I'm a virgin." Her face flushed a darker shade of red.  
I had a feeling she was but I wasn't going to comment on that. "That's okay."  
Her eyes shifted from one side of the room to the other and then back at me. "Are you?"  
Now that was something I didn't expect her to ask me, although I felt like I should have seen that coming. "Uh…no," I told her honestly.  
She gave me a very small nod as if she predicted that to be my answer. "…Kate?"  
This time I nodded to her. "Yes…but that was a very long time ago. I don't have feelings for Kate anymore." I found myself asking: "Does that make you think less of me?"  
She shook her head. "No,"  
I kissed her again and sucked on her lower lip. She moaned, which excited me and I started to lift her shirt up. Again she stopped me.  
"What are we doing?" She whispered this to me as if what we were doing was something forbidden.  
"I was going to make love to you, but if you don't want to then I respect that," I confessed.  
"Oh…" She laughed nervously. "I'm sorry, Jim. I don't think I'm ready."  
I smiled at her. "That's nothing to be sorry about. Whenever you're ready, just let me know." I told her. "We can just lay here if you want. That's perfectly fine with me."  
I noticed her relax against me. She was no longer tense as she let me put an arm around her. "What did you need to tell me? You said there was a lot for us to catch up on."  
I thought about whether or not to tell her, but I knew it wouldn't be right if Lucard was present. "That can wait a little bit longer. Tomorrow we can talk about it, I promise."  
"If you say so."  
The light from outside was beginning to fade, giving my room—our room a golden touch from the setting sun. Even though the scenery gave off a romantic vibe to our current condition, I respected Briar's wishes and relaxed beside her. She was worth waiting for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't left a review yet, now is the perfect time.  
> Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.


	38. A Family Gathering

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. I have been mentally unstable. In other words...I've been depressed.

As the following morning shined through the bedroom window, I lay happily content under the soft covers. I could hear the sound of running water in the other room and opened one eye. The sound was coming from the bathroom. And as I continued to lay there, not wanting to get up from my cozy position, I flipped over on my tummy and rubbed my face into the pillow, yawning.  
At that moment, I heard a soft squeak and the water stopped. A minute passed and Jim came walking out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel around his waist. I froze in place-not that I was going to move anyway-and couldn't help but stare at him. Did he know I was awake?  
I gulped.  
He was searching through his dresser to pull out some clean clothes.  
I continued to stay silent. I wasn't sure what to say or do, and then I watched as he started to unwrap the towel and I quickly shut my eyes. To Jim, I'm sure he wouldn't have minded that I looked, but I still felt so self-conscious, even if it wasn't my body. I could hear him getting dressed and then make his way over to the bed. He nudged me.  
"Hey, Briar," he said softly. "Its almost noon."  
I peeled one eye open and looked up at him and I nearly had a heart attack as he was still shirtless. "Is it really?" I said while trying to compose myself.  
He smiled and pulled the shirt down over his head. "Well, good morning. Did you sleep okay?"  
Did I sleep okay? I slept fantastic! "Yeah, I did. Did you?"  
"Best sleep I've had in a long time." He told me and bent over to give me a kiss on the cheek. "Come on, get dressed. There's still a lot we need to figure out. I need your advice on everything." He walked over to a chair where his socks and boots were sitting and started to put them on.

At that time I finally positioned myself up right and stretched. It was at that moment I my breasts felt a little free. I quickly put my arms down and tried to hide that fact that my nipples were poking through my shirt. I must have slipped my bra off some time in the night.  
"I'll be out on deck. Don't take too long." Jim told me.  
I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and yawned again; swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I finally got up and walked to the bathroom. The person staring back at me in the mirror was a hot mess. My hair was sticking every-which way and I was sure my breath was stinky. I had nothing to clean my teeth and no clean clothes to take a shower. How was I supposed to hurry up? And then I saw a note sitting off to the side counter. It read: Morning, Beautiful. I grabbed you some clean clothes early this morning. A clean toothbrush is under the counter, too. It's the blue one. Your clean clothes are there also.  
It was signed by Jim. I smiled to myself, happy that he thought to do all of this for me.

I was quick about getting ready. After cleaning my teeth I hopped in the shower to wash all the grime off my face and body and then quickly dried off and got dressed.  
I felt like a new person as I braced the day and opened the door. The deck wasn't as loud as I thought it would be, and Stickler's ship was still sitting next to ours, yet there was no fighting. Total peace among the two groups. For now anyway. I wasn't sure what to expect, and I was sure that's what Jim meant by needing my advice.  
"Good morning, Briar!" Maria ran up and hugged me.  
I was taken off guard. "Oof! Uh, good morning, Maria."  
"Did you have a good night's sleep?" She grinned.  
I hid a yawn behind my hand. I was still trying to wake up. "Yeah, I slept fine."  
Maria's grin grew wider. "Did anything _romantic_ happen?"  
"Umm...nothing involving clothes on the floor, no." I told her feeling somewhat awkward.  
"Briar!" Lucard came walking up the top steps and over to the two of us. "Hi, Briar. How did you sleep in your new room?"  
I scratched my head. Why was everyone asking if I slept well? "I slept fine, thanks."  
He looked at me as if there was more for me to tell him, and then when he realized that that was really all I had to say, and he said, "Good to hear it. Listen, Captain has sent me to come get you. He's below deck."

Lucard and Maria followed behind me as I made my way below deck. There I was met by a swarm of crew members and pirates. The entire room was taken up!  
"Over here, Briar!" Jim called to me.  
I awkwardly made my way pass everyone, kindly excusing myself. And then I made it, sitting by Jim's side. Across from us were a few pirates, one of them being Derk who had now taken the place of Stickler.  
"Now that we're all here," Jim started, "let's talk about what we should do next."  
"Why not go our separate ways?" Derk offered. "We both have no troubles with each other anymore, so why not? I mean, after we help with repairs that is."  
Jim thought about this for a moment. "Hmm, yes. We should work on that first. Once the repairs are done I propose another offer: any pirate willing to give up his life of thievery for one better suited, then you can stay here. But keep in mind you will have to do community service if you do decide to stay." Jim looked to me. "What do you think, Briar? Does that seem fair?"  
I wasn't ready to answer any questions, and any words running through my head was a jumble. Finally, I said, "Yeah, I think that's fair. And no funny business." I added.  
Jim smirked. "You heard the woman. No funny business."

There was so much talking back and forth between the two. Once in a while Jim would ask me what I thought and I would answer honestly. Most of the questions pertained to the ship. Who would work on what and in the end it would be up to most of our crew to maintain both ships. And besides Silver, there was only one other pirate who took up Jim's offer to give up his life of piracy. It came as no surprise to me.  
"Alright, everyone, get to work!" Jim's voice boomed across the room loud enough for everyone to hear him. And as they all started to leave, Jim held on to my hand to keep me next to him.  
By the time most everyone was gone only Lucard, Maria, Delbert, and Silver stayed behind.  
Jim started by saying, "I wasn't going to have you present," he said to Silver, "but you should be here to hear this." He then looked to me. "Try not to freak out."  
I raised a brow. "Huh?"  
But before I could say more, Jim quickly said to Lucard: "Are you ready? Now is your chance."  
A look of excitement and nervousness swallowed his face. His cheeks went red. "Are you sure?" He asked and Jim nodded. Lucard looked to Maria and she only smiled at him, supporting him. "We need to finish what we started. In other words: we have to travel to Earth still."  
"Why?" I asked. "Isn't that all over and done with? Only Stickler wanted to go there."  
There was so much Lucard wanted to say to me. I could see it all over his face. "Yes, that's true. However, there is something there we need to destroy and it is the very thing Stickler so craved to get his hands on."  
"Which is?" I asked, playing dumb. I knew it was the stone, but I didn't want to bring it up just by the off-chance that it WASN'T what he was talking about. I could see the map I put together inside my head. The way to Earth and the Vatican was still fresh in my mind. If I was going to be perfectly honest with myself, I wasn't sure I really wanted to go back there. After seeing what it had become of it it broke my heart. Plus, it was dangerous.  
"Stickler spoke of a stone. We need to find it and destroy it so that no other person with greedy hands can us it." Lucard said.  
"Stone?" Jim and I said at the same time.  
Lucard tried not to smirk but failed. "Yeah..." He said slowly.  
Jim and I quickly turned to look at one another. "After you." He said.  
"No, after you." I told him earnestly.  
Suddenly, we all heard Delbert sigh from across the room.  
The sudden commotion settled down.  
"If we don't go back to Earth," Lucard pulled a bottled necklace out from under his shirt and looked at it with sadness in his eyes. "I am afraid of happened will happen again."  
The red gleam looked oddly familiar to me. I glanced over at Jim and he looked just as curious as I did. "Where did you get that?" I asked Lucard.  
Lucard let the necklace sit back on his chest, letting it remain exposed for everyone to see. "The truth is Briar: if we don't go to Earth and destroy the stone, all of what I have worked so hard to save, could be lost...forever."  
"Come out with it, Lad!" Silver blurted out. He, too, knew that Lucard was holding something back.  
As Silver said this, Lucard looked at me with determination in his eyes. "The Captain, Maria and even Delbert, already know, but you and Silver don't, but its you that this is about." He told me. I was suddenly very worried. "My name is Lucard Hawkins and I am the Captain's son from the future. This stone bottled up is called the Philosopher's stone, and I have used it to manipulate time."  
I would have laughed at him if not for the fact that I had gone back through time multiple times to save Jim's life. I stayed silent, which I knew made Lucard feel uneasy, but what was I to say to that? And he said Jim knew! Did that mean he actually believed Lucard? "How can you have the stone if you say the stone is back on Earth? It makes no sense."  
"It is only a piece of it." Maria said. "The stone was broken into pieces from a fight with Stickler over it. All of this, of course, happened in the future-a future we are fighting to change."  
I looked back and forth from Maria to Lucard. "But that should have changed the moment Jim killed Stickler."  
"She has a point." Delbert said.  
And then Silver made it his priority to make his thoughts known too. "If you hold on to the stone whose to say someone won't kill us later on? The boy is right. We should travel to Earth and put an end to this stone. No one should have it. I've lived long enough to know that these kinds of stories of power never end well. Sooner or later someone will come after us, and if its not us that destroys it..."  
"It could be the end for all of us." Delbert finished.

The room fell silent and I looked to Jim for some words of wisdom, but he was deep in thought.  
"I've made up my mind." Jim finally said. "We will travel to Earth."  
"WHAT?" I blurted. Everyone looked at me. "That's not a good idea. There are things there that could kill us!" I was not only talking about the giant wolves and other animals there, but the creepy figure as well. I never wanted to see that thing again.  
Jim raised a brow at me. "You say this as if you have been there recently."  
"I, uh...no..." I stammered. "And what about you?" I pointed at Lucard. "You say your from the future and that Jim is your dad...how can we trust what you say?"  
Lucard gave a short laugh. "Delbert can vouch for me."  
"What do you mean?"  
"Briar, the thing that I have been holding back from you is what I desperately want to tell you but at the same time I am afraid of." He took in a deep breath and said, "Jim Hawkin's is my father...who do you think is my mother is?"  
I shot up from my seat and opened my mouth to say something but then suddenly forgot what it was that I wanted to fire back at him. I'm sure it wouldn't have made sense anyway. I was bad at arguing. "I don't know, why don't you tell me?" I said after a few seconds.  
"You don't see the resemblance?" He almost sounded hurt by it.  
I paused, frozen in place. "...Oh..." I bit my lower lip; I could feel my knees shaking. "Its me...isn't it? I'm your mother..."  
Silver bust out laughing. "Well I'll be damned! Jimbo found himself a girl and managed to keep her!"  
Delbert looked to Silver. "Really? This is no time to be laughing, you oaf." He scolded.  
Silver stopped short with a snort. "Sorry,"

This was too much to take in all at once. Messing around with time, the Philosopher's stone, me suddenly being a mother to a sixteen year-old. It was too much. Plus, I was keeping secrets of my own. However, if I told them I'm sure I wouldn't sound so crazy now.  
Jim stood and steadied me by placing a hand on my arm. "Briar, sit down please. You look pale."  
I shook him away from me. "N-no!" I bolted for the stairs but Maria and Lucard stood in my way. "I need some air!" I told them.  
"Briar, please." Maria reached out to me with caring arms. "I know its a lot to process."  
I laughed nervously. "A lot to process, you say? HAH!" I felt Jim come up behind me and he put both hands on my shoulders.  
"This is what I was afraid of." He said that more to everyone else than to me. "Come on, let's sit down." Jim managed to walk back to the chair, which was smart on his part considering the strength in my legs would have given out from underneath me.  
I buried my face in my hands; I could feel the tears working their way up. "It's not fair."  
"What's not fair? Briar, you can tell us anything." Jim said in a gentle voice, trying to ease my worries.  
"All of this." I couldn't take holding it back anymore. "I feel crazy for believe Lucard, but what's even crazier is that I have recently been to Earth. I've been there and back lots of times in what feels like just a few days." No one said a word and I continued. "I know all about the stone and how to reach it. I was there. Stickler kidnapped me and threatened me to find a way, or else he would have killed me." I peeked out at everyone from behind my hand. My tears had already found their way down my cheeks.  
Maria ushered Delbert and Silver out of the room. "Come on you two. Let's leave these three alone. They deserve some family time."

Even though I didn't want them to leave, I didn't want them to hear what I had to say next.  
"It was the same outcome every time we went to Earth. I couldn't save anyone. And there was this tall, black figure that no one could hurt. Every bullet bounced off of it. And then it walked over to me and handed me something stuck in it's chest. It was the Philosopher's stone. I went back and forth countless times it feels like...and then I did something I was too afraid to do..." I couldn't finish that sentence. I couldn't tell them I sacrificed myself to save Jim. Not yet.  
"And I thought I was the only one..." Jim spoke up. "I watched you die, Briar. I went through the pain and the suffering of watching you die. And the figure, I saw it too. It also gave me the stone." He felt his pocket. "Which has mysteriously vanished now, but..."  
"It's gone back to its owner." Lucard said. "Back to Earth. And so that means you both have seen the future...what's in store for us. We can use that to our advantage.""  
Jim nodded. "I figured. I noticed the stone missing this morning but I wasn't going to say anything about it. But Briar, now that you've told us all this, I felt it was necessary."  
"Then it's decided...for certain this time," Lucard said. "We are going back to Earth and we will put an end to all this."  
"But wait!" I said. "If we destroy the stone, what will happen to you and Maria?"  
I could tell Lucard hadn't quite thought that far out yet and pondered in thought for a moment. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."  
A ruckus suddenly erupted from up top, breaking up our time together.  
"We'll talk about this at a later time." Jim stood up and rushed to the top deck.  
Before Lucard and I joined the rest of the crew he stopped me. "I need to ask you something."  
"Go on."  
"I haven't felt the embrace of my mother for a long time...could I now?"  
I smiled a little, understanding what he meant. "You want a hug?" He nodded. "Okay, but it will cost you." He was confused now and I laughed. "I need your promise on something."  
"Okay..."  
"When we reach Earth, I need you to promise to follow through with the plan, even if Jim and I don't make it out of there. Destroy the stone. Don't try to mess with time anymore than what we have. We could really screw things up not only for us, but for the rest of the world."  
Lucard was silent for a moment. "Alright, I promise."  
I nodded, feeling content. "Good. Then you may have a hug." I opened up my arms and let Lucard follow through with the rest. I half expected it to be weird, but it wasn't at all. It was comforting.  
"That day I ran into in the market," he started while sill holding on to me, "was one of the best moments of my life. I was so happy to see you. And just to let you know, I ran into you on purpose." He finally let me go.  
I grinned. "You know, before all this, I totally thought you had a crush on me."  
This time he was the one to laugh. "Was I being a little too nice?"  
I shrugged. "It's okay." I held out my hand and together we joined our crew.

Later that evening, after all the hammering and nailing, I retreated to me and Jim's room. I took another shower and put on one of his long-sleeved shirts. It fit me like a nighty and I was okay with that. I was comfy. It was then that I proceeded to light some of the candles in the room and jumped into bed.  
"Ready for bed already?" Jim walked into the room and immediately started taking off his shirt, then his belt, his boots and socks, leaving on only his pants.  
I was feeling somewhat shy as I didn't think to put on any pants and tried to hide my bare legs under the covers. "I like being comfy." I told him.  
"Hold that that," he told me. "I'll join you soon."  
I watched as he made his way into the bathroom to take another shower. All this time I sat on the bed wondering how this night would unfold. If Lucard was my son then that meant I will eventually make love to Jim...I wasn't sure I was ready for something like that.

After having a quiet argument with myself I barely noticed Jim come out of the bathroom. He had the towel wrapped around his waist again and when he saw me eyeing him he grinned. "Do you like what you see?"  
How cruel of him. Of course I liked what I saw! His body made me flustered and feel warm in places I didn't think was possible. "Don't ask me that! You know I can't answer."  
He laughed and then dropped the towel to his feet. I squealed and closed my eyes. "Relax! I'm not naked."  
I slowly opened my eyes and saw that he was in his boxers. "You fiend!" I threw a pillow at him.  
He laughed again and jumped into bed, pinning me down. "Oh? I'm a fiend am I? Briar Edwards, I think you're the fiend. With a body like that how can any man resist?" He pressed his lips against my neck and started kissing me.  
I gasped. "Stop," I giggled while trying to fight back his charm. His kisses tickled. "No fair! You're stronger than me." He some how effortlessly spread my legs apart with his and pressed his hips up against my pelvis. He was toying with me.  
"No use trying to fight me, Briar. I will always be here to protect you." He undid one button on my shirt and left a trail of kisses from my neck to my chest. After a moment of him leaving tender kisses on me he broke his motion and faced me. "I went back in time just like you. I saw things...I met people. Briar...we have two amazing children together, and maybe we can even more now that Stickler is dead." He was completely serious with me. I could tell by the look in his eyes. "We have Lucard, and little girl, Auriel."  
The name was familiar to me. I knew who he was talking about. I had met her in my dreams...or were they even dreams at all. "I believe you." I told him. "And Jim, I'm scared about going to Earth. I never want to see you die again."  
Jim caressed my face. "None of us will die, I promise you. By the way, I heard you say you love me right before you died."  
My eyes got big. That was when everything went hazy for me. It was dark for such a long time. And then next I knew I was talking with Jim again in his estate room. Ugh...it was enough to make one's head spin. "That statement is still very much true." I paused. "And another thing: the reason I went back in time so many times was to save you. I had to keep watching you die over and over again. It was making me go insane. That's when I decided to stake my own life on the situation."  
"That's when you said you loved me." He said. I nodded. "That won't happen again."

For the moment, Jim sealed all my worries with another kiss. His lips were warm and soft...and I soon felt his tongue lick my lower lip. I knew what he wanted I let him slip his tongue into my mouth. It was weirdly satisfying. I moaned, wrapping my arms around his neck even more and hooking my legs around his waist. There was something else about Jim that I could tell was begging for entrance, but I wouldn't let him have it, not yet. I still wasn't ready.  
"Jim, I don't think its a good idea to any further." I broke our kiss.  
"Still not ready? That's okay." He assured me. "Although I won't lie, I was hoping we would make love tonight." He smirked. "So if you change your mind..."  
I smiled and rolled my eyes. "No, Jim." I gave him a playful smack.  
He grabbed my hand and kissed my fingers. "Would you rather wait until we're married?"  
"That would be the safer bet." I told him. "Plus, we shouldn't even think about doing something like this until we are back on Montressor."  
Jim chuckled. "Just say it."  
"Say what?" I was confused.  
"Just say the word." He told me.  
"What word?"  
"The word you keep refusing to say."  
"I have no idea what you're talking...oh..." It finally dawned on me and he was right. I blushed.  
"Come on, say it!" He urged me.  
"I don't think we should be having sex right now."  
A triumphant look spread across Jim's face. "You finally said it! Why was that so hard for you to say?"  
I blushed even more. "You know I can't answer that."  
Jim smiled warmly at me. "I love you, Briar. I always will."  
I was so happy to hear him say that. "I love you too, Jim." This time I pulled him down for another kiss. I wanted to feel his lips on mine again.

Who knew how many more nights we would share like this together? Would this be the last one? Would there be a hundred more...maybe even a thousand? I wasn't going to start counting. What truly matter was the here and now. Jim was here with me. He mad me feel safe, wanted, and above all he made me feel loved.  
I loved him. I loved him so much. So why did I feel like I was going to keep losing him?


	39. Tender Moments

***Jim's POV***

Despite not being able to fall asleep until late last night, I had woken up relatively early and felt great. I guess it was because I hadn't been this happy in a long time. Regardless of the things that had happened, Briar was with me now. I was happy...really happy. I guess that's why I found it hard to sleep at night; the excitement of the moment was still there. Everything that happened in the last few days had made me feel like I was riding through a galactic tide. And in some way or another it was kind of true.  
I flipped over on to my side still trying to wake up, and all the while Briar lay still asleep. I could tell by whatever dream she was having that she was content. A smirk came across her face and then it was gone; her breaths calm and steady.  
I stroked her face, pinning a rouge piece of hair behind her ear; she moved a bit and moaned softly. I bent down and kissed her forehead, putting one arm around her and scooting closer to her. And then, resting my head next to hers, I closed my eyes. She smelled nice from the shower she took last night.

No matter how comfortable I was though, I had to make that call to either Kate, Amelia, or Admiral Blake just like I did in the past...or would it be considered the present? I wasn't sure anymore. The point was: I had contacted them when Briar was taken by Stickler the first time around. But would they help me now that I had her? Our motifs were completely different now. Explaining our situation was going to be difficult.  
Briar...I just want to take you home where its safe.

There were still some questions left unanswered. Like, what will happen to Lucard and Maria once the stone is destroyed? And the figure that Briar was so scared of was still somewhat of a mystery to me-to us. I had seen their face-this cloaked figure who resembled a man. Their true identity was still uncertain to me and I didn't feel like telling Briar my thoughts on this in case it were to scare her more. She was already shaken up by everything else that adding to her worries would just put her more on edge. I wasn't going to do that to her.

As Luck would have it, a soft knock sounded on my door. I threw the covers off of me and quickly put on some pants and rushed to the door and opened it a crack.  
The light from outside nearly blinded me and I squinted to see who it was standing at the door. "Ah, Zee. Morning."  
She stood straight at tall as always, a serious look stuck to her face. "Good Morning Captain. May I ask when you will be joining the crew?"  
I stopped to think for a moment. "What time is it?" I hadn't thought to look at the clock.  
"Still early enough, but everyone is beginning to wake up. The repairs are nearly done and we will need your word on what to do next shortly." She slightly leaned her head to the side and glance into the room. "Will Miss. Edwards be joining us as well?"  
I glanced back to see that she was still fast to sleep and then looked back at Zee. "I'll let her sleep."  
"Very well." She took a step away but then stopped and asked, "Is Miss. Edwards still a crew member, Captain? Or does she hold a different title now?"  
My eyes had adjusted to the light but now my squinting had more to do with Zee's personal-and rather inappropriate-question. "I'll be out shortly. See to it that the ship remains civil until then." I closed the door not bothering to hear Zee's reply. Briar was none of her concern.

Without anymore delay I quickly got dressed and headed to the deck. I would eventually have to contact the others and fill them in on everything...well, almost everything. They didn't need to know about the time traveling or about Lucard and Maria. As far as I was concerned, that was none of their business.

After checking on the repairs, I soon realized that my crew and the pirates had done all they could. In fact, I was surprised that we made it this far in the first place. We had little to work with, I knew this.  
"Is there anythin' else ya require from us?" Derk came up and asked me.  
I stood there in silence, scanning over some of the repairs. I would have to call on Amelia or Admiral Blake for further assistance. "No. We're done here. You and your men can leave now."  
The look on Derk's face told me that he hadn't fully believed me when I first told him I'd spare him as long as he agreed to help. "Uh, of course." He soon left with his crew, their ship making weird rattling sounds as hey flew off. They, too, would need more work done.

I headed on up to my estate room to contact Amelia, half expecting her to tell me she couldn't come to my aid-couldn't endanger her students.  
"What's on your mind, Captain?" Amelia's voice came out from the speaker box sitting on my desk. "You sound nervous and its not like you."  
"I killed Stickler." I said.  
There was a pause on the other end. "You what?"  
"I killed Stickler." I repeated myself. "I have his body on my ship. He's wrapped in salt and linen in the very back."  
"And his crew?" Amelia sounded very surprised.  
"I let them go."  
"YOU WHAT?!" Now she sounded pissed off.  
How was I going to explain myself to her? "When I killed Stickler, none of his men did anything to raise a hand at me. Derk, the one who has taken his place, explained to me that he and the crew never wanted to along with Stickler's plan, but they were all too scared to leave."  
Amelia sighed. "So you let them go out of pity?"  
"Yes." I answered her. "But one of them I managed to persuade over to our side. I promised him as long he does community work he can start living a normal life."  
"You are far too nice. I would have killed them all."  
I could not disagree with her on this. "Listen, Amelia, can you do something for me?"  
"Hmm?"  
"I only feel like having this conversation once, so can you relay the message to the others about all this?"  
"I guess that won't be too much of a hassle to do. Anything else you want to tell me while you're at it? You only want to have this conversation once, right?" She had a good point. I did have more to say.  
"I'm going to Earth." I heard Amelia scoff. "Trust me, I know what I'm doing." I took a deep breath before continuing. "You know all about Briar, that she came from Earth, who she is. All of it. Well, there is something we need to do there."  
"Mind telling me what that is? If you don't, I'll send a whole squadron after you." I believed her words to be true.  
"The Philosopher Stone...it needs to be destroyed so no one else can get their hands on it. The damned thing is dangerous. Also, if you could send some repairs my way, that would work wonders."  
"And how do you plan on destroying it? By blunt force?"  
I shrugged. "I'll figure that out once I have my hands on it."  
Amelia sighed. "You've always been very bright, Jim, but also very stupid at times. Be careful. And yes, I will send help your way." Her voice sounded more motherly now...perhaps it was because she was one herself and if anything happened to me, it would be my mom to suffer the most. It was obvious to me that no parent ever wanted their child to suffer...that was why I needed to go to Earth; to fix things.

***Back to Briar's POV***

I woke up feeling well rested and took my time getting dressed for the day. I still wore my uniform because there was nothing else for me to wear. Even though I wasn't exactly a student aboard this ship I couldn't ditch my old uniform.  
When I walked out on deck I noticed the pirates had gone and Jim was standing at the helm. He saw me and gave me a wink. There he went again, making feel all mushy inside.  
"You really like to sleep in late, huh?" Lucard approached me.  
"I've had a rough couple of days." I leaned my arms on the edge of the ship and looked out at the sea of space. "We all have."  
Lucard nodded, smiling a bit. "That's an understatement." He joined me. "You missed the morning meeting. We're to set sail again within a day or two."  
I raised a brow. "I thought the repairs were done."  
"More or less." He said. "But not well enough to safely get us to Earth. Captain Amelia is sending us help."  
Its not that I minded waiting around, it was just that I felt so anxious. I looked over at Lucard. There was so much of Jim in him. Of course, I could see myself somewhere behind that silly grin of his, but it was mostly Jim whom I saw. "How long until that help arrives?"  
Lucard's brows narrowed as he tried to remember everything that was said during the meeting. "Late tonight at the earliest. I don't expect dad-I mean, the Captain-to get much sleep tonight."  
I smirked. He called Jim dad. "That's so cute." I told him.  
His face went a shade pink. "What are you talking about? What's cute?"  
"You called him dad."  
Lucard turned his face away from me, trying to find something more interesting to look at. "It slips sometimes. I don't mean for it to happen." He mumbled, feeling embarrassed.  
I patted his shoulder. "Its okay, my son." I cracked a laugh and snorted.  
His composure could not be contained and he soon joined me in laughing.  
I wanted to have more moments like this one and that very thought pushed me to work harder at destroying the stone. But how would we do it? Was it even possible? I wanted to believe that it was.

Just as Lucard said, help with the repairs came late. I helped up as much as I could but in the end I knew little about repairing a ship and was kindly sent away. All the while I walked around aimlessly, asking if anyone needed refreshments or a wet towel to clean their sweaty faces. Unfortunately, that job was taken up too and I walked back to me and Jim's room where I threw off my clothes and put on the same white shirt that belonged to Jim.  
The loud banging and sawing sounds stopped before it got too late and everyone retreated to their beds. Tomorrow would result in the same work. I had no idea how bad a condition the ship was in until now.

I was still awake by the time Jim returned. Again, he took his shower to clean the dirt from his body and slowly slipped into bed. He scooted close to me but never touched me in fear he would wake me.  
"Jim," I finally said after a few minutes of listening to his tired sighs.  
"Briar...did I wake you?" He put an arm around me and pressed my back up against his chest. His arm rested right below my breasts and I was sure he could feel my heart racing.  
"No, I've been awake." I said truthfully.  
"Something on your mind?" He asked as he nuzzled his his nose against my hair. I heard him take a breath. "You smell nice." He held me a little bit tighter.  
My face flushed, and even though we lay there in the darkness, I was convinced Jim knew me well enough to know that I was blushing. "T-thanks..."  
He moved his hand away from under my chest and slowly slid them up and down my thigh. "You're so soft too." I could feel his hot breath on my ear and then my neck where he soon spoiled me with sweet little kisses. "I want to have more moments like this with you during the day too, not just at night." He tugged at my underwear, teasing me.  
He was making it so difficult to wait until we were back on Montressor. And then the thought occurred me: what if we don't make it back? Stickler might be dead, but what if we still end up meeting our end...and sooner than expected? What if all we had worked so hard for was riding down a path to a dead end? I flipped over to face him. "I love you." I told him.  
"I love you too, Briar." He locked his lips on mine, kissing me with such passion I almost lost my breath. He grabbed my thigh again and gave me a gentle squeeze, sending shivers down my spine. A soft moan escaped his mouth as he pressed his pelvis against me. I got a hint, a taste, of Jim's size and felt roused knowing how well endowed he was.  
"Jim...stop." I pushed away to take a breath.  
"Sorry, I got excited." I felt his lips curl into a smile against my cheek. "I already know what you're thinking: we should stop."  
It wasn't like I wanted to, but more that I was scared to. "Jim, what if we never make it back to Montressor? What if we become stranded on Earth? You and I both know what it looks like-the dangers there."  
"That won't happen. I won't let it." He told me.  
"How can you be certain?"  
Jim rested his head on mine and gave me Eskimo kisses. "Just trust me. Tomorrow the repairs will be done and we will head straight to Earth. We both know how to get there so it will be easy enough."

Easy enough, he said. There was nothing easy about this. I was in a constant state of panic. I didn't want to lose him again. Still, I considered myself lucky to wrapped in his arms, to feel his touch, to hear him say he loves me.  
It appeared to me that I loved Jim so much that at times it hurt to look at him...but it was a good hurt. I was thankful for the cloudy night, for all I wanted at this moment was to feel his embrace.  
Tomorrow we would making our way to Earth.  
Tomorrow we would face our fate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song: Discovery, sung by Kailee Morgue, reminds me of Briar and Jim (Its my song for them). Give it a listen! I'm sure you would love the song :)  
> Please leave a review/comment!  
> By the way, if you haven't checked out my published book yet, Secret of Epping Forest, you should!  
> Here is the ISBN: 9780692142875  
> And here is a direct link. I hope it works: https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Epping-Bridget-Kathleen-Pueppke/dp/0692142878/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?crid=INDOUQUE9612&keywords=secret+of+epping+forest&qid=1551215693&s=gateway&sprefix=secret+of+epping%2Caps%2C184&sr=8-1-fkmrnull  
> And if you don't feel comfortable ordering it yourself, you can always check out your local Barnes and Noble. I am sure they would be happy to order it for you.  
> Please support a starving artist!


	40. Second Chances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. I was stuck doing Jury duty.

It was a cool morning as I sat below deck finishing my breakfast. Most everyone had gone up to prep the ship for our tedious trip. I turned my head as I heard someone cough and saw Silver sitting in the corner. I brought of the rest of my breakfast with me as I sat down next to him. We ate in silence until our bowls and plates were clean.  
"So..." Silver started Slowly. "You're with Jim now." It was a statement, not a question.  
I nodded. "Yeah. Are you surprised?"  
Silver chuckled. "Surprised? I's guess I shouldn't be. Happy, is more like it."  
A content smile spread across my face. "Good, I'm glad." I turned to look at him, saying, "I'm also really glad that you're here." I patted his back.  
Silver cleared his throat loudly. "Ah, thank ya, Little Bird."  
  
I whistle blew and Silver and I peered up at the ceiling where the everyone was running around on deck.  
"Ya best get up there and help out." Silver said.  
I stood up, stretching my legs. "Haven't you heard? I'm not exactly a crew member anymore. I gave that up when..." I stopped suddenly, blushing.  
Silver laughed softly. "Aye. I gotcha." He waved me off. "Still, go check on your friends." Silver turned his back to me and rested his elbows on the table, his head bowed.  
I hadn't realized it until now, but Silver had found a special place in my life. I cared about him like a daughter would a father. Maybe I was never really alone after all.  
Without another thought, I leaned in and kissed Silver on the cheek. "See you up there, Silver."  
  
The deck was as busy as ever. We were nearing our destination-I could feel it.  
I looked up at Jim standing at the helm. He caught me staring at him and smiled.  
"Are you ready for this?" Lucard asked me, walking up to me out of the blue.  
I almost squeaked. "Don't pop out of nowhere like that."  
He raised a brow. "What do you mean?"  
I waved a dismissive hand. "Ah, never mind."  
Maria came to join us then. Instead of her usual cheery face, she was serious. "Briar, you've been to Earth after the change...after humans. What is it like?"  
"It's like a jungle." I crossed my arms and pondered on the thought a bit more. "I mean...It's nothing like it was. A jungle is a poor way of explaining it. To me, you and Lucard have been there. I've seen both your reactions..." I paused. "There is no good way for me to describe it. You'll see when you get there."  
  
Before our little conversation could grow into something more, someone shouted atop the crows' nest.  
"Five o'clock, Captain! There she is!"  
Everyone turned to see the massive hole forming in the sky. For some reason, it was more terrifying than any other time I saw it while on Stickler's ship. Something wasn't right-something was different.  
"Lifelines ready!" Jim called out.  
All of us scurried to grab our ropes and secure a safety lock for each and every single one of us.  
  
The closer we neared the Dead Zone, the more I wanted to jump out of my skin.  
The rest of the crew seemed up for it, but Jim and I both knew what was in store for us. And perhaps Lucard and Maria did as well.  
I braced myself for the inevitable. We were all secured to lifelines as Jim, our trust-worthy Captain, sailed right for the Dead Zone and into a deep, dark hole. I could feel it pulling us in faster the closer we got. Last time I was here I was on Stickler's ship, but now I was with Jim, and there was no race to the finish line. All that stood in our way was uncertainty.  
This wasn't going to be easy, I knew this; Jim knew this.  
Where would we end up? Would it be the same place, same time? Or, what if, when we arrive there, things were worse? Or maybe we came in contact with other humans? Who knew what would happen.  
"Raise the shield to double the capacity!" Jim hollered from across the ship. Zee pulled the lever she was standing next to all the way down and lights shot up a metal pillar. Shimmering gold scales ran across the ship, over it and under, protecting us from what we were about to endure.  
  
Lucard grabbed my hand, and then Maria grabbed him. The three of us stuck together as darkness overcame the ship. Everything was quiet. I held my breath for as long as I could and kept my eyes shut. There was no sound; my ears were deaf to the world around me. I could still feel Lucard and Maria's hands clasped with mine so I knew they were still there. Finally, a gust of wind blew past my ears, whistling.  
"Look at that!" Maria gasped.  
I opened my eyes to see a sea of green below us. We had made it safely through the portal. I took a good look around the area and realized that we did not end up in the same place as last time. Everything looked so different that I wasn't sure where we were. Suddenly, I spotted a very noticeable monument and knew exactly where we were.  
As if on cue, Jim asked me where we were. "Briar, does any of this look familiar? Do you know where we are?" He walked down the wooden steps and over to me.  
"Paris. Over there is the Eiffel Tower, however, it's not so much a tower anymore." Sadly, the Eiffel Tower had collapsed to one side.  
"How far away are we from our Destination?" Lucard asked.  
I thought for a moment. "If we keep going at this speed, we should reach Rome within seven to eight hours."  
  
Cheers suddenly erupted from the crew as they were thankful for having survived the trip here. Everyone seemed excited about this, but Jim sighed and I knew what he was thinking. We still had a very dangerous journey ahead of us. We both knew what to expect and it sent a shiver down my spine. I wasn't sure if I had it in me to do this again.  
  
All the while, the crew went back to doing their usual routines on the ship. Others were prepping weapons and specific equipment for the next step of our escapade. Jim left that for me to look over. It was my job to make sure we had everything we would need. I felt like I was going in blind. Sure, we would plenty of guns and ammo, first aid kits, rope, knives, etc. But their world I knew had completely changed. There were giant wolves lurking about along with other animals that no doubt had evolved into something bigger and more dangerous. Still, I did my best to make sure we had the appropriate gear.  
  
By the time I had finished checking everything on my list we were nearing Milan. I could tell by the shape of the Duomo, despite all the vegetation that had consumed it.  
"This is where you grew up?" Jim spooked me as he joined me at the bow of the ship.  
"I didn't grow up here, but I did go to school here. I spent many years running around Italy and most of Europe. A very beautiful place full of history."  
Jim let out a sigh of inspiration. A bit of light gleamed in his eyes. "I wish I could have experienced that with you."  
I smiled. "I wish you could have too."  
He turned to me suddenly, a spark of excitement on his face. "We can start experiencing things together now. Making memories."  
"I would really like that," I told him, still smiling.  
Suddenly, a few gasps came here and there throughout the ship. Everyone was ogling at the scenery as we flew by ghost towns and cities. At least some could enjoy what was left of this remarkable place. I, on the other hand, was weeping on the inside.  
  
When we finally reached our destination, Jim slowed the ship as to not miss our target: the Vatican. The make-shift barrier to keep out the intruders had collapsed and the sign written in red had washed away. From the look of things now, it seemed more time had passed since we were last here on Earth. And as the ship came to an easy stop, an anchor was lest down and everyone put on their gear and readied their weapons and went down by groups of two on the solar surfers.  
"Are you ready?" Jim asked. He had ditched his captain's jacket and geared himself with heavy-duty guns. With what we faced last time, I'm sure Jim wanted to be more than prepared.  
"I'm ready." I walked over to the solar surfer where he stood and got on first. As he stepped on behind me, I felt the soft rumble of the engines starting and that's when we lifted into the air and made our way off the ship.  
  
The steps to the Vatican had been crushed by the pillars, leaving most roof caved in and almost impossible to get in.  
"Scout the area. Find an opening." Jim ordered everyone and I stayed with him.  
There was a nagging feeling in the back of mind and I had to say what I was feeling. "Jim, I feel like things are going to be a lot different this time around."  
"This WILL be different." His voice was calm and steady. "But I promise I'll do everything I can to make sure that nothing but good comes out of this."  
"How can you be sure of that?"  
"I can't, but I can try."  
I nodded once. "I'll try too."  
  
Eventually, we were able to find a way in, but the only way in was down, which ironically was the one place we were trying to get to.  
"Captain," said Zee. "Are you sure it's alright?"  
Lucard cut in. "If the Captain says it's where we need to go, then I trust him." A few others nodded.  
Jim cleared his throat. "Zee, take a few men back to the ship with you. We should have more than Mr. Omi there." He then looked to Silver. "Don't think you're getting out of this."  
Silver smirked. "Wouldn't dream of it. I's want to know what's down there."  
"Good,"  
  
The crew split up in half. Zee took a large some of the members back with her just as Jim ordered her to, and the rest of us ventured down under. The hole I fell into was still dark and damp and smelled of fish poop. I plugged my nose and breathed through my mouth, but even the air left a bad taste in my mouth.  
As we neared the bottom, I could see the pool of water and the body of land a few feet away. Jim landed the solar surfer on the rocky ground and waited for the others before continuing on. My heart was thumping a mile a minute. That creature was still down there, I could sense it. And as if knowing how nervous I was, Jim grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently. Having him there did me a lot of good because the closer we got to the cave-like room, the more I wanted to turn around and call it quits. Lucard then came up on my left side and grabbed my other hand. I stole glances at both him and Jim. My two favorite boys. But wait, there was a third one missing: my dad. I wondered what he would think of Jim and Lucard.  
"Look! Over there!" Maria called out as she pointed at something in the distance.  
Everyone stopped in their tracks as a tall, black hooded figure stood a few yards away from us. Above them shone. That part of the ceiling in the cave must have fallen in, letting in light from the outside. It was exactly like before.  
  
The mysterious figure held up a hand, telling us to stop and then pointed a finger at me. It waved its hand toward me and without my doing so, my feet skid across the ground and was pulled in by an unknown force. I looked behind and saw that everyone was stuck in their places. Only when I was standing face to face with the hood figure did I stop. It towered over me, its face hidden from me by its drooping hood. In its chest, taking the place of the creature's heart, was the Philosopher stone. The figure slowly pulled it out and offered it to me, but I shook my head. I didn't want to touch that thing again. It had made me go through hell. I wasn't given a choice though and the creature grabbed my hand, forcing me to place my hand on top of it.  
"Close...your...eyes." It spoke, voice cracking.  
I did as it told me and soon all I could hear were children playing. I opened my eyes to see an old familiar park in New York. What was I doing here? I scanned the area very closely, not wanting to miss out on anything. That's when I saw myself as a little girl. I was no older than five and playing in a sandbox with two other kids. This park might have been familiar, but the memory of playing was not...so why was I seeing this?  
"Five more minutes, Briar sweetie!"A soft voice called out.  
  
The voice sent a chill down my spine and I turned my head in the direction where I heard it. I was instantly overcome with emotions that had been buried deep within me.  
"Mom..." I whispered. My feet moved on their own and soon I found myself sitting next to my mother on a bench. At first, I just stole glances at her as she read the new paper. "N-nice weather we're having." I mentally kicked myself for that one.  
"Hmm?" My mom slowly looked over at me, tearing her eyes away from whatever story she was reading. "Oh, yes, very nice. It's unusually for such warm weather in October." She smiled.  
I said nothing but continued to stare at her.  
"Are you okay?" She asked.  
"Oh! Yeah, it is unusual. However, I'm not going to complain." I forced a laugh.  
This time she stopped and stared at me. "Do I know you?" She asked.  
I was stumped for words. "I don't think so. Maybe I just have one of those faces?"  
She laughed and went back to reading.  
  
We sat there in quiet bliss for a minute longer before little me ran over.  
"Mommy! I'm hungry, let's go!"  
I stared myself up and down. I was a fit child. Only when my mother passed away did I put on weight.  
Little me looked over at me. "Hi!"  
I raised a hand and wiggled my fingers. "Hi,"  
"Okay, Briar. How does a hot dog sound?"  
"Yay! Yummy! I love hot dogs!"  
As I watched them get their belongings together I called out to them. "Hey, wait...uh, miss?"  
My mother turned, she smiled at me the way she always did to show her patience. "Yes?"  
"When you asked if you knew me...uh...the thing is...you look like someone I once knew."  
"Oh, really? Who? A celebrity, I hope." She chuckled.  
I smiled dumbly. "Uh, no...actually...you look like my mom."  
Her quirky smile turned sweet. "Oh?"  
I nodded. "But she passed away...a long time ago."  
Her smile fell to an apologetic frown. "Oh...I'm so sorry."  
My heart was breaking all over again. "No, no it's okay. She's been gone for many years." I paused. "I don't know why I'm telling you this. I'm sorry."  
She shook her head. "Don't be. Things happen for a reason. I'm glad you chose to sit down next to me and confide in me...being a stranger and all. Goodbye...Um, what's your name?"  
"...Briar."  
She raised her brow, grinning. "You don't say? That's my little girl's name. Well, Briar, it was nice chatting with you. Goodbye, and take care."  
"Goodbye."  
No more was said and I watched her walk away with little me holding on to her hand.  
  
It finally hit me. I understood now why I was here. When my mother passed away it was so sudden. There was no time to say a proper goodbye because she spent the last of her days sleeping. This moment was my chance to properly say goodbye...a second chance to see and speak with her again. All my hopes and prayers had been answered.  
  
Next, I knew I was standing in the cave again. Jim and crew had inched closer and now stood just a few feet behind me. I looked back at the figure and saw that it wanted me to take the stone. I shook my head.  
"It needs to be destroyed," I said in a whisper. "I can't take it."  
The figure bowed its head, accepting my answer. "It..shall...be...done." The figure gripped the stone in its hand and shattered it. A deep rumble shook the cave and the gravity of the place seemed heavier now, the air thick.  
I watched as the mist disappeared from the figures body and the black cloak it wore vanished; its pale skin turned to a golden tan color, it's body slowly shifting into a human...a man.  
I gasped, clasping my mouth shut with both hands.  
  
There, standing before me, was a man I once called my father. And he was smiling with tears in his eyes.


End file.
